Miraculously Tangled
by Zero'sOnlyDragon
Summary: Marinette wanted to go and see the outside world. Chat Noir wanted to be recognized for his deeds, no matter how he was portrayed. So what happens when the thief Chat Noir ends up in the middle of a forest, going into a ravine he's never seen, and climbs a tower to find a black cat and a red-head that never left solitary? Tangled AU. MariChat, Adrienette.
1. Chapter 1

There always were floating lights, every year on Marinette's birthday.

The girl was no stranger to stars, she had sewn them constantly on blankets and a few dresses when she couldn't sleep. The lights, however, were once a year sighting. So fascinating from where Marinette watched high in her tower. They danced around each other as the bright dots drifted higher into the atmosphere. The beauty of them laced into every speck of white that sparkled and flickered out as it rose. Her blue eyes always dazzled, year after year.

It was three weeks until her birthday, the big number 16. Yet she hardly thought of the years since her birth. Instead, she impatiently waited for the floating lights to blanket the night sky. She lay on her bed, light streaming in from the window. Marinette stared at her ceiling, a black cat resting on her stomach. Silently, she pet him, her other arm resting over her eyes as thoughts clouded her mind. She was going to do it. Today would be the day. No more chickening out. She would finally build enough courage to ask to see the Lights up close this year.

A fire burned inside of her, a smile grew upon her delicate features. A single black strand of hair curling behind her ear, poking at the smile that lit her face. She inhaled and took in the fresh morning air and let her arm fall into her extremely long, scarlet hair. Without warning, she sprang into a sitting position. The cat was jarred awake and glared up at the teen. Marinette hadn't really been paying much attention to where said cat was. She had also forgotten he was even in the room with her, let alone that she was petting him. Hopping off the bed, the cat sprung into the air with momentum, landing onto her bed canopy. As Mari got up off her bed, the cat reared on its haunches. It yowled as it came down onto Mari's shoulders. Surprised, the girl shrieked in alarm and jumping a few inches off the ground.

Regaining composure, Marinette turned her head and glared at the cat.

"There you are, Plagg. You really do get crazy the more hungry and bored you are." The cat began to purr loudly, telling her she was right on the button. Chuckling, the girl went across her room to her vanity. The room was about the size of a studio (a term she had read in a book once). The cold, stone walls were circular, covered floor to ceiling in paintings and bookshelves. She was never allowed to leave her tower, so trying to keep herself entertained was a pastime she found joy in, as there were so many things she could learn and try (baking, sewing, designing, painting, ect.). She had read every book she owned about seven times over- some more than that- but she always got the same thrills reading them as she did the first time. Reaching her vanity, she grabbed Plagg and set him down onto the surface of the vanity. She grabbed her hairbrush located in a small drawer compartment below the vanity surface and hummed while she combed out her long hair.

"I'm finally going to talk to Papillon today. Maybe he will let us go with him to see the lights. Won't that be fun Plagg? We'd finally get to know the mysterious lights in the sky!" The scarlet-haired girl squealed in delight as she thought about the annual phenomena. The Plagg pawed at her dress and mewled, his eyes saying it all. _Okay, Okay, Now I want food!_ Marinette smiled, picking up Plagg and taking him down a small flight of stairs into the kitchen (/living room/bedroom/bathroom/dining area). The tower, despite its height, only had two actual floors inside it. It was mostly the stairway up that caused the tower to look bigger. Marinette opened a wall cupboard and took out a piece of Cheese. By now, the girl was nose blind to the smell, but she knew it reeked. Plagg had an odd appetite for a cat, but she didn't question it. So long as her only friend was happy, she didn't mind his eating habits.

Marinette waited as the cat ate its fill in the silence. She, however, babbled on and on about the lights and what it would be like outside the tower and the ravine. There was less light here than there was in her room, but Marinette could still make out the stones on the far walls. Mari sighed in longing. She knew all of these walls, every crack, every dent that there was to be found in the small, two-story tower. There had to be more to life than just a boring old tower. There just had to be. Looking up, Marinette glanced up the steps into her room, the light coming from above. _And the lights are going to take me there,_ She thought, so sure of herself. So sure that it would be the glowing balls of energy that would whisk her away into a more exciting life.

Breaking Marinette from her thoughts, Plagg darted from the countertop he rested on and hid somewhere in the room. Marinette smiled and ran upstairs. Plagg only ever did that when he came home. Papillon hated Plagg underfoot, and Plagg hated Papillon, so it was a pleasant compromise. She waited for his voice to sound through the ravine below. As she waited for a few seconds and was not disappointed. It was low and baritone, but she knew the voice of her "father", along with her nickname.

"Ladybug, Ladybug, may I come in!"

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 **A/N: So I thought of doing a different story, but I will still update LASP. I just need a bit more time to do so. I thought this would make a good story, and I hope it does in the end. I will also try to update this regularly but don't count on it. And I know it's short, I'm not making these chapters to long.**

 **Stay tuned and Thanks for Reading!**

 **~Pheonix**


	2. Chapter 2

Complying with Papillon's wishes, she strung her hair on a hook and opened the window, shoving her hair massive amount of hair into her proverbial back yard. She waited- granted she was hopping from foot to foot- but waited patiently for a tug before she began to pull her father up to the large window. There were two ways to get out of the tower, but the first option was stoned up. The only other choice was the window. She had never been outside because of this reason. If she were to leave, she could never come back without help of some kind. She had seen the outdoors from the window plenty of times, but never grass beneath her feet, gusts of wind that blew her hair back, nor the ice-cold water of the waterfall...

Mari shook her head as if to clear her thoughts. She needed to focus if she was to ask permission to leave. Papillon's silver mask was covering his face, per usual, but she could still make out the features underneath. Long nose, strong jaw, prominent chin and slicked back hair underneath. She assumed it was blonde by the stories he told her. What color blonde, she didn't know. A smile was brought to his face as he spotted the slender teen. Carefully, as to not damage her hair, Papillon stepped out from a small foothold he made with her hair and entered her room. He looked tired as he greeted her.

"Good Morning, Ladybug." Marinette smiled back. He rarely called her by her real name. It was like a code they had. She didn't know his name and he called her by her nickname so she wouldn't feel belittled. Mari collected her hair behind her and closed the large shutters to the window. As she did so, another thought pricked at her mind. A thought that overtook her previous drive to asked for freedom. Marinette replied very cheerfully and inquired about Papillon's actual spawn.

"Good Morning Papillon. How was town?" He groaned in frustration.

"Chat Noir strikes again, this time stealing from the smaller vault of the Bourgeois family and actually getting away with it." Marinette's hands clenched at the name. If there was one thing she didn't like it was that pesky theif. Chat Noir was known around the Kingdom for his sticky fingers. Claiming he was doing it to teach the nobles a lesson, he stole from them over and over. No one knew who he might be or what he did with the money. Some suspected that he was living in a different kingdom, amongst the pile of cash he had accrued. Others figured he was poor and saving every coin he had just so that others didn't get the money they earned. Marinette lay unbiased. If she was to ever meet him, she would turn him in right away, but all the news brought to her was skewed with Papillon's vision. She knew he left out important details to make her want to stay in her safe tower

"That's Terrible!" Marinette exclaimed as she went about doing other things. She let him rant on about politics and how a store of his wasn't getting the revenue it deserved. Patiently, she listened. As he began to calm, she shyly spoke up "How was Adrien?"

Now, as Mari knew, she wasn't the daughter of Papillon. She wasn't dumb. She didn't even know his first name. His last name she found out when he told her about Adrien. Adrien Agreste was his biological son that lived in the kingdom. Papillion didn't talk about Adrien's mother, so she didn't bring it up out of courtesy. Mari had never met the boy, but from what she had heard from Papillon, he was a very sweet and selfless boy (even if Papillon hated to admit it and always called him an embarrassment). Marinette had wanted to meet him since the first time she had heard about him. She wouldn't go as far to say she had a crush on the boy, but it was close. Close enough that she would postpone her asking to leave if she had the chance to meet him.

"He is in perfect health, but not perfect in mind." His long sigh and they way he rubbed his temples in agitation gave Mari a small warning sign. The thing with Marinette was, she hardly paid attention to signs anymore. She knew him well enough to know his body language. But this was about Adrien, and signs regarding him were almost next to none, so she was surely interested.

"Why do you say that?" The question elicited another heavy sigh from the man.

"He is one of the most eligible bachelors within three kingdoms length and yet he wants no bride! He could marry into royalty if there was a princess on the throne, or marry into money, but he just won't comply nor even look into that matter. It's almost impossible to persuade the boy to do anything he's already set his mind on." He sat upon Marinette's mattress as he ranted. "Perhaps I should just arrange a marriage." His face covered in his hands, arms set on his knees. Marinette sighed. If there was one thing Papillon hated, it was Adrien's stubbornness, the one thing she was secretly attracted to in the boy. He would always comply with everything else his father set for him, except choices that affected his later life. Least, from what she heard about the teen, anyways. Mari sat beside him, her hands in her lap as she spoke to him.

"Well, at least you know he is doing alright and hasn't changed a bit." She smiled sweetly at her Foster Father. Papillon lifted his head, a small smile making its way across his lips.

"I suppose you are right," He paused for a moment, his eyes moving from Mari's face to something behind her. Mari made to ask about the lights and opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted. "Ladybug, could you please sing for me?" Mari's smile grew. Not because she liked to sing, which she did, but because she was excited to ask her very overdue question. Quickly she sped through her song, twittering and chirping. No one except auctioneers would have been able to understand the long string of words that flew out of her mouth as she stood there, eyes closed, reciting the song she had been taught. Nothing happened when she sang, but it was beautiful to hear. Even now, her melodious notes saved her from horrible repercussions. Papillon didn't even try to keep up with her tempo, and simply stared till she was done. Marinette looked back after she had completed all the verses and after a long breath, began to speak.

"Papillon... As you know, my birthday is coming up. And I wanted to ask if maybe... this year I could go see the lights. In town. Maybe even meet Adr..." Marinette trailed off as Papillon sat up. A dark expression crossed his features. He opened his mouth...

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 **A/N: I know it's not as long, but this chapter was a tad rushed. Yes, I stopped before a villain number and the only song I plan to add in is the regeneration song "Miraculously Themed" Thank you for the reviews from Miraculous Panda and Demi Clayton. Yes, Marinette has red hair, Like Rapunzel has blonde hair unnaturally. Hence the black strand of hair in the first chapter, similar to Rapunzel's brown lock. I will try to make a more suitable chapter soon.**

 **So Stay Tuned and Thanks for Reading!**

 **~Pheonix**


	3. Chapter 3

**Meanwhile, In the Kingdom, we open on our mischevious Neighborhood Cat...**

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Clad in black and scaling the roofs of the Castle's tall towers, the infamous Chat Noir led the way effortlessly to his prize. His companions, however, were not having as much fun as he was. To be fair, he had completely forgotten he was even working with the Kurtzberg twins. Once he started to scale the brick walls of the large castle, his mind was solely focused on the thrill of adventure. Taking a deep breath, Chat Noir gripped the top of the metal spire next to him. He set his left foot on the base of the iron and tucked his other back against his left knee. After getting into a more or less stable resting position, Chat let the rest of his body hang as he stared out into the distance. Even in the early reaches of the morning, the view was incredible. The golds and greens that brought the sleeping town to wake, the smell of the salt in the air; If he could ever live near a place like this, life would be a cakewalk. He closed his eyes as the high winds blew back his light fluffy hair, drinking in everything he could feel. His reflexes and flexibility made him the best thief in the kingdom. He had a bad rep from the Nobles, a clever kitten that could never be caught. He didn't entirely like stealing, but if it meant he could see this glorious sight every so often, it was worth it. But even while he remained breathless on that roof, Chat knew what he needed and the task at hand. A bright, Shiny crown that rested, and was heavily guarded, in the Palace below him. All he had to do was duck the guards, steal the crown, and get the money.

How hard would that be?

"Oi, cat boy. We need to talk about you ditching us." _Oh, right. Kutzberg twins. Well the few minutes before noon just got interesting._ Chat thought as he leaped onto the top of the spire, his hands meeting his feet and back hunching over as he looked down at them. In the light, he almost appeared to have cat-like pupils. It was preposterous, but no one could doubt how much the young man resembled the feline family.

"I waited for you to catch-up, baby tomatoes, so don't be so purr-tentious." Chat couldn't resist the small slip of the pun-tongue. This small slip, however, brought glares instead of chortles from his 'comrades'. Yes, Chat left them in the dust, they were some of the stingiest and dirt thieves in the kingdom. The only way to tell them apart was their bangs and the way they parted, but even then, sometimes they switched sides. They were known for being sly and deceitful. He had worked with them once or twice before, but it had never worked in his favor. In short, did Chat want to work with them?

No.

Did Chat have to work with them?

...

Since he wanted the crown, yes, yes he did.

Biting his tongue instead of giving into more pun-filled statements and jabs, Chat Noir decided to save his temporary companions the grief and just continue with the job as planned. Lifting a skylight-panel underneath him, the twins scaled the roof and hovered over the mischevious feline-boy. Chat would have made a quip about personal space had it been any other situation, but frankly, now wasn't the time to complain. Cramped by two selfish twins or not, he needed that crown. The last memoir of the Long-lost princess, Belle Dame de la Chance. A perfect item to sell for a very lavish price.

Like they had rehearsed over and over the night before, the twins, with bags to the left of them, latched onto Chat's ankles and he carefully lowered the top half of his body down into the tower from the skylight. As Chat's eyes adjusted to the lack of light, he noticed the ring of guards around the crown. He hadn't expected guards to be there, but it didn't matter either way. They all had their backs turned to the possession they were "vigilantly" protecting. A devilish smirk passed Chat's lips as he was lowered down further by the twins. A twinkle caught his eye when he had passed a certain vantage point, suspended in mid-air. Immediately, Chat set his sights on the one thing he was aching to get his hands on. There was a stop in the lowering, a curse, and then a continuation. Chat reached out, stretching his arm out as far as he could make it.

And just like that, the shiny tiara was secured in his clutches.

But a guard just happened to sneeze. And without breaking a sweat, due to his private and chivalrous other-life, his mouth did its normal sneeze routine.

"Gesundheit." Chat and his provisional companions froze. The Guard thanked him. Scrambling before the guard could realize that the polite gesture came from someone behind him, Chat was pulled up and promptly thwacked upside the head by the twin on the right. It wasn't even a few seconds later that arrows began to fly from the ground below from insanely mad guards. Chat was met, yet again, with dirty looks.

"Crown." They demanded in unison, holding out their hands in waiting. Chat thought for a moment, tapping his chit dramatically. After a moment, he merely shrugged his shoulders, grin never faltering.

"You know, I never said I'd give you the crown when we went over the instructions, now did I?" The thrill of running from authority already coursing through his veins, Chat Noir used his excitement to leap from the tower they resided on, landing perfectly down to the wall that bordered the huge castle. He rolled a bit, and stayed down for a beat, waiting for the shock of the impact to subside before the running at full speed on top of the wall. The wails and hollers from the two low-life, twin thieves screaming their death wishes upon Chat brought him more joy than it did terror. _Let the guards come,_ Chat thought as the wind tore through his light blonde locks, _It'll be all the more fun to evade them._

Chat knew he couldn't go back into the town area, so instead, he booked it into the woods on the outside of the town walls. Dodging the arrows that still followed him, He ran beside the soft waves caressing the shoreline, watching them contently as He sprinted. Chat was hardly out of breath as he dashed, the wind ruffling his hair. As the edge of town came into view, Chat cursed. The only way off the island was the bridge, and the only way to the bridge was to pass through the heavily patrolled side of town in broad daylight. Quickly, Chat stuffed the crown into his black saddle bag and continued of his escape, keeping an extremely watchful eye on the guards there. They all seemed on edge, probably due to the fact that he, Chat Noir, Adrien Agreste, had just stolen the most priceless artifact in the kingdom. The money from this would be able to take care of what he needed.

He slipped past most of the guards, a Cheshire grin growing with each guard he managed to duck. However, with each guard, came more cocky feelings. Those Cocky Feelings, in the past, usually had a negative effect on his performance. Even as he felt the feeling rise, he felt proud of it. The more smug he grew, the less careful he became, and as he chasséd away from the guard he was working on, Chat's rump decided now would be a great time to tap a wine barrel and topple it.

"Just Purr-fect. Now, instead of a bee, I get hornets." Chat growled to himself as the purple liquid spilled all over the stone pathway. He didn't wait for the guard to turn around as his flight reflexes kicked in. A battle cry was let out from the guard as he spotted a glimpse of Chat rounding a corner. With Chat's excellent hearing, he could make out the guard call for a blockade on the bridge (Something they should have thought about in the first place). But the army came moments too late, and Chat already on the other side of the bridge, his eyes locked onto the vast forest in front of him.

With his sights set both literally and metaphorically, he practically pranced his way into the deep, thick wood that had more thieves than aristocrats would care to dream of. He needed to get to a pawn shop out of the kingdom, and a black-spot pawn shop at that. It only a few miles east, but that would take him days by rowboat due to the morning fogs and he couldn't risk being spotted following the shoreline. The forest was the easiest transition there was. That was, it would have been had there not been arrows flying his way from the bridge, horse hoofs ringing in the distance. Chat's fangs glinted in the light of the sun before disappearing into the dense tree line.

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 **A/N: OK, As I had said, I was gonna switch perspectives on this chapter. I thought, like the movie, Chat should get an opening as well. I am not going to make many Chat chapters, mostly they will be from Mari's perspective. I am going to update so much more, I've just been so caught up with things. But, I should have an excuse for not writing for almost a month. It's not the kind of behavior a wanna-be writer should have! I Hope you like how I did this chapter. Yes, I didn't include a lot of chat's thoughts or backstory, but there is a reason for that. I'd rather Mari and the audience to discover his reasons rather than explain it in the third chapter. That would ruin the surprise! c =**

 **And I am sorry for those who wanted a parody or a song by the Papillion, but I am not turning this into a sub songfic. In my personal opinion, writing songs and movements are very anyone wishes for me to do a Parodie then I can do so on SoundCloud. I am just a PM away!**

 **If you haven't noticed yet, I update my Profile at least once every week to say where I am at with my writing and give updates on other stories as well. I am up for any ideas people may have and constructive criticism is always welcome!**

 **Thank you so much for the reviews in the Last Chapter! Shout outs to Sage McGavin and GuardianAngel1234567**

 **Sage: Thank you! I am trying to be as original as possible with an unoriginal AU**

 **Stay Tuned! And, as always, Thank You All so Much for Reading!**

 **~Pheonix**


	4. Chapter 4

To say that Papillon hadn't made his point would have been a lie. As he left the tower on Marinette's hair, the fear he instilled inside her was strangling her thoughts. Even the rounding up of her hair, which she had done many times before, was a slower task to complete than normal. Over and over, she recited a poems by Charles Dodgson to calm herself. Was the outside world really that bad or was he trying to keep her there? If someone like Adrien could exist, then surely it couldn't be true? He seemed so sweet and kind, She doubted he was capable of all of the crimes regular people were accounted for, like poor hygiene and homicide. Then again, If Chat Noir could co-exist in the same world...

Maybe it was better if she stayed put.

It wasn't so bad, life in the tower. She had everything that she could ever want, and if she wanted it, Marinette was practically guaranteed it. She had Papillon wrapped around her finger and all she had to do was stay in her little tower and be a good girl with no problems. That was easy to do. She had been practically doing it since she was born. But it's not what she wanted. She wanted to leave, see the world as it spun her around its axis. As Mari sighed, slumped on the window pane, she began to think about outside the tower. Was it truly as bad as he made it out to be? Her little ravine was rather pretty and if she squinted. mari could just make out the small rabbits who had made their home in a burrow inside a small hill. Birds chirped from atop the tower. Even the large trickle of water that ran down the cliff side was peaceful.

But Cannibals?

Monsters?

Murderers?

Rabid Animals?

Thieves?

How was it that the world was littered with such malicious intent that the good is overlooked?

Marinette shook her head. She didn't want to know the answer. It was sad to think that the world only saw evil, paranoid due to people who have darkened the days they spent on Earth. Here in the tower, she was safe. She was free to do what she wanted when she wanted it. But no matter how safe the tower made her, Mari knew her curiosity would get the best of her. She wanted to find the good in the world and amplify it, driving out the bad. But who was she to judge millions based on her ideologies? She could never judge people, no matter how sheltered she was to the world. Sure, she had no bias, but no one has the right to say what is right and what is wrong. There isn't a black and white definition of right and wrong. They circle each other, creating sub-categories and new ways to look at problems.

It was like Yin and Yang. Ego and Spirit. Luck and Misfortune. Carma and Darma. They all revolved around each other, creating balance. If one rises, another will rise, balancing the world to keep everything stable. It was in her books and plays, the 'good' and 'bad' fight. It's a fight for stability, not a fight for what is right. Sure that's what the book says, but every ending is the same. One side wins, consequences are distributed, and balance is achieved.

As Marinette sat on her window ledge, stroking Plagg. He had come out after Papillion had left and joined her thinking bubble. She couldn't help but wonder if she was in a 'stable' place and whether her story was at its beginning, or at its end. And as she thought about it, she sighed heavily. No matter how many languages she learned, no matter how many books she read, no matter how many stars she charted;

She doubted ever getting out of that tower and ever having an adventure like the ones she loved to read about. And as she thought about it, life would try to prove her wrong.

Suddenly, Plagg's ears began to twitch and his head shot toward the opening Paplion left from. At first, Marinette was delighted that Papillion was back so soon, ready to see what he brought her. She hopped down from where she was perched, ready to throw her hair out the window. Her eyes deceived her ears, however, as a man clad in black tumbled out from the vines. Quickly, she got away from eye's view. Plagg tilted his head, staring curiously at the stranger from the window. Marinette didn't notice how calm he was, finding a strange man discovering their tower. Marinette looked at the man from the side of the window, careful not to move too much and to keep her distance from the edge. She noticed his head looking around and had failed to grab her cat in her sudden position change. He was staring at the man, almost mischievously. Quickly and quietly, Marinette tried to coax Plagg to get off of the ledge, but he was not moving. The man turned his head slowly toward the tower...

Mari grabbed her cat out of view just in time for the man to gaze in wonder and awe at the magnificent structure in front of him. Marinette couldn't see his eyes, and she didn't think she wanted to. He had on a leather bag slung over his shoulder, and odd leather boots with three bold black lines etched into the silver tip of the toe. He had a half cloak barely covering the top of his head. On the cloak, there were two small cat-like ears. It, too, was black. Now that she looked, he was clad in black. Even the mask on his face, which looked like a strip of cloth, was black. Judging by his color scheme and his, rather cute, cat ears, Marinette could only conclude that this was the notorious Chat Noir. And by the look of it, he was beginning to climb up her tower using two arrows.

Frantic, Mari had almost screamed as she dashed downstairs, but fell and ended up rolling instead of yelping. Her rebound was faster than her fall and she quickly reclaimed herself. She babbled indescribably while looking for something to protect herself with. Papillion never left knives or weapons around, afraid Mari would accidentally hurt herself while cooking. Instead, she grabbed the next best thing she could think of. A rather new, medium sized, cast iron frying pan was in her hand quicker than she could tie her leather boots. Trying not to trip over her pet, Mari clamored up the steps, quieter this time, but still in a rush. She could just see the tip of his ears peaking up from below the window. Lightly leaping, she made it across the room in one bound, hiding behind the open shutters.

Mari let out a small sigh, but it was quickly silenced as boots struggled to get past the window pane. Grunting could be heard from the man as he sat on the window ledge. A pause was taken, but only momentarily. Chuckles and pants could be heard, yet Marinette was out of view of him. She could only see his paw-like boots that stood out like a sore thumb. There was a small noise of confusion. At first, Marinette was scared she had been spotted, but as Mari looked around, she realized it wasn't her she had seen.

It was the cat she had forgotten to grab in her rush.

The man stood silent for a moment. And in that same moment, Marinette heard the poem she had been reciting grow louder in her mind. As if she wasn't the only one saying the words that came to her head, but destiny echoing her thoughts. Finally, he made a move toward the black cat. Plagg, however, didn't move a single inch. As the man stepped into view, Marinette caught a glimpse of his lime green, cat iris eyes. It chilled her to think how much this thief lived up to his title. She stole a brief glance at her only friend, making her choice in a split second. Marinette didn't want her sole companion to be touched by this no good troublemaker, at least not on her watch.

Marinette crept up behind the cat man ever so slowly. Not a peep exited her tight lips. Not a sound came from her small frame, her clumsy nature gone with her fear as she walked behind him, matching his every step. He stopped for a moment, just before Plagg, looking down at him. Her frying pan was raised high above her head. "What are you doing in here, little guy?" He was moving to bend down, arm stretched out...

 **THUNK!**

The Man in Black lay in the middle of her floor, out cold, leaving Marinette to wonder why he was there in the first place.

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 **A/N: I know it's been so long, and I am soooo sorry I haven't updated in so long. So for everyone who enjoys this story, I am giving it the light it deserves. I have been storyboarding a bit and I think I have an Idea about where this story is heading. Sure I have other ML Ideas, but I want to finish this one first.**

 **I want to take you lot on a Journey through a Rapunzel's story, but a different kind of Rapunzel story. This one involves a redhead with innocent views of how she should perceive the world mixed with a rather misunderstood black kitten. I wish to brighten days and lighten hearts, but also add in philosophical thoughts that keep you thinking about it for days on end, trying to find out how a character can see the world one way, yet another character sees the same world and have each of their thoughts be polar opposites. Thank you all for reading this far. I'm sorry this is a bit short, and that the next Chapter is going to be Chat's view of this same timeline, but I promise It will (or should) get better. And this next chapter may be the last chapter from Adrien's perspective for a while, so enjoy it.**

 **Shout outs to everyone who commented on this story! And I am Going to work on my Pun game, It's getting juiced. Oh, my gush we have reached 900 views! To be honest, I didn't expect much from this version of the classic fairytale, but I am glad it's being shown so much love.**

 **Like always, Thank You so Much For Reading and Stay Tuned!**

 **~Pheonix**


	5. Chapter 5

Marinette stood above the black-clothed stranger the lay unconscious on the floor. Mentally and physically, she was freaking out, pacing over him as if he wasn't even there. Her hair began to overlap on top of the unconscious person as she did so. She didn't even want to look at him, adrenaline and fear coursing through her veins and making her a perpetually moving machine. She had no clue as to what to do with the criminal at her feet. He could have been there to steal her and manhandle her into doing his bidding. Maybe sell her to scientists who would do experiments, dissecting her knowingly, displaying her organs while she's still awake, breathing, watching. People be repulsed by her figure and-

A meow forced her to stop pacing and sent her flying a few feet into the air, her hair practically standing on end.

When she came back down, her head turned to where the sound had emanated from. Marinette met the eyes of Plagg. They were slanted and mocking while her's were scared and defensive. It looked as if he was trying to say, _Good job kid, you just knocked out a poor defenseless man who happened to find an 'abandoned' tower in the middle of nowhere._ Marinette responded in kind, though she didn't know if it was her own guilty conscious she was talking back to or the cat that was tongue-bathing itself in front of her.

"Well, it's his fault for barging in uninvited and being Chat Noir." He tilted his head and his eyes squinted.

 _What part of, "a poor defenseless man who happened to find an 'abandoned' tower", didn't you understand?_ Marinette huffed.

"He should have asked and he could very well be Chat Noir with his clothes!" Plagg looked at his clean paw.

 _As he scaled this forty-foot tower? Plus, you don't know that based on his clothes. He could be gothic for all you know and admires the fashion._

"He could have yelled and there is no self-respecting person that wears a cloak with cat ears stitched onto it!" Mari shouted at either her conscious or the Black feline before her. The animal stared back at her in boredom.

 _Now your just making up excuses to answer why you just hit a man in black with a cool-looking hood on._

Marinette felt like screaming at the guilt, rush, and fear she brewed inside of her. Instead, she went over to the man that lay face first on the floor. His hood and hair covered his face for the most part, and his entire body was encased in black: felt, leather, and fabric. It was a rather pretty blend, and if Marinette hadn't been more focused on the man himself, she would have taken the time to admire the handiwork of the pieces. His black satchel lay by his side. The way the leather bag begged to be touched by her hands drew her in, similar to a bee spotting nectar. Mari was a rather curious being and gave in to her curiosity regularly. There could have been so many things that resided in that bag, but she wanted to know exactly what it was.

Gingerly, she rummaged through it, as if she was an archeologist discovering remnants of past civilizations. She found a few small items: a piece of string, a strange baton, a small box of peppermint leaves, and a paper with a list of names on it (the first ones being Nino Lahiffe and Alya Cesaire, not that she cared) and the title _'People to call'_. She was kind of disappointed at her findings so far. Then, she finally one thing drew her attention away from everything else. It was a crown. Gently, she pulled it out and set it on her bed next to Plagg. Plagg stared at it in, what seemed to be, wonder. Marinette couldn't help but do the same.

It was golden, metal weaving itself to fit the teardrop-cut rubies perfectly. There were five rubies, the biggest one residing in the middle. Small opal gems studded the piece and added to its beautiful vine-like design. Not a hair was out of place in this magnificent work of art. She had never seen anything like it. Sure, books had told her all about crowns and where they could be found, but they were only ever worn by royalty. She had never seen something so delicate and wonderful in her sixteen years of being on the Earth.

It was breathtaking.

And as Marinette looked at it, she doubted that the man on her floor was the owner of such a treasure. This accessory was way too pricey and fancy for a person like him to be in the care of it. No one in the outside world was nice enough to be a messenger of this high of a risk item, delivering a package to someone, least not with the kind of attire he had on. It was possible but very improbable. She reminded herself as she shook her head, that people are not like her fairy tales and almost everyone, according to Papillon, was incapable of such a noble deed.

Gently, she turned him over, using her frying pan (that had been in her hand the entire time) as leverage to flip him over, similar to a pancake. Mari struggled, but only for a moment as he turned rather easily. Surprisingly, he was rather... thin in the middle. For having stolen as much money as he had, she was confused at his lack of gluttony. She still couldn't see much of his face, due to the hood, but she could certainly see the rest of his self. The only title to pop up in her head was 'Chat Noir'. It was the only word that seemed to fit him. Curiosity coming before her morals, Marinette slowly, yet shakily, lifted the hood from off the face...

And all at once, her thoughts were silenced by the bright blonde hair that fell over his eyes. Turns out, there was no mask at all, just a very good amount of charcoal plastered just below his forehead and stopping on the tip of his nose, going from one side of his face to the other. His jaw was slightly pointed, face still looking a bit pudgy with baby fat. It seemed extremely soft and squishy, radiant even. Heck, the boy seemed to glow. He didn't look much older then Marinette herself, maybe a year or so over her age. His unruly hair falling against his closed eyelids. She had only read about hair so wild on a redhead princess of Scotland. Needless to say, she was rendered speechless for a while. When Marinette came to her senses (meaning when Plagg meowed once again), she decided the safest option was to place the hood back on him, hiding his face and breaking her sudden trance, and tie him to her bed. It took her a bit, 'Chat' was heavier then she had once thought. Once she had gotten him on top of the bed, Mari began to search for some type of rope. She looked high and low but only came across scarves, small chains, and leather. She decided to use none of them and instead kept searching for rope. She checked everywhere, even Papillon's room. But alas, none could be found.

As she gave up searching, Mari sat next to her victim, sighing in defeat. Her dark scarlet hair trailing behind her. Marinette's hair had always puzzled her, but seeing it against his bright blonde locks, maybe it wasn't. _Surely red is a normal hair color... It had to be. It must be a special type of hair if it can lose it color after being cut_ , she began to think as her finger twirled around the small black strand that usually curled behind her right ear. And as she did, an idea struck her. Facing the Blonde teen and grabbing a fist full of her hair, she got to work.

* * *

 **A/N: I know, I know, It's been so long (~since last I've seen my son~), But here it is, the long awaited chapter 5. To be honest, I am not sure where in the world I was going with that last chapter and the poem. I just thought it fit, somewhat. Now I find it extra and non-sensical. I may change it later when I find the time.**

 **Thank you, everyone, for waiting this long, I am a cotton-headed ninny muggins and that goes without saying. I will continue writing for you guys and for this story, do not worry, I just may be heavily delayed some months, but do not panic! Because I have you covered and will post a new chapter when it is ready. Which, this one now is.**

 **Now to get somewhat real.**

 **Have you ever loved a person so much that you can't bear to be apart from them, not even for a smidge of a moment? That every second you spend apart is a chance for disaster and nothing, that could be said nor done, could fix it? I've been labeled as clingy and overprotective yet my only wish to be with him for as long as I can, loving him as if it's my last day in this universe and I knew I'd die tomorrow. Yet while my other has never seen me as clingy, I always feel like a burden. Like I am holding him back from really living his life to the potential it could be.**

 **Long distance sucks.**

 **...**

 **Anyways, back to my crazy and abnormal self. I am hoping to get another chapter in by the end of the month, but do not quote me on that. A special thanks to everyone who commented on the last chapter and has favorited/followed this story! I love to read your comments and you have no idea how happy they make a writer like me. I always show my friends (which sounds like I am bragging to them, but honestly, I am just so happy to actually get a comment that I just need to share it with the people I am close to). The follows/favorites are just as amazing. People actually see and want to be updated on something I wrote. It's just too surreal to even think about sometimes.** **They keep me writing.**

 **So thank you, all of you.**

 **Stay Tuned!**

 **~Pheonix**


	6. Chapter 6

**In the View of Our Favorite Vigilante** **...**

* * *

His eyes began to open in small flutters, trying to become familiar with the dim light that blurred in, along with everything else that was strewn about the room. He was on something soft, very soft, and certainly restrained by, what he could only imagine as, some weird rope. Not that Chat Noir wanted to get up in the first place, every inch of his body ached and throbbed after that fall from the cliff. Stupid horse. Stupid cliff. Stupid tower. Stupid- His thoughts were cut off as a sudden headache began to cut into his thoughts. Chat groaned outwardly, unable to bring his hands up to rub the side of his skull to help. Chat contemplated his surroundings, making sure to note every exit he could find.

To his chagrin, there was only one way out, and that just happened to be the same way he had come in. Again his head throbbed, a light curse escaping his lips. Now, despite being a notorious thief, Adrien rarely used curse words. His upbringing was proper and so was his speech and, while he may be free as Chat Noir, Adrien still made the choice to be kid-friendly. After all, a thief to one person can be a saviour and a hero to another. Take every hero in existence, they were all police wanted, all of them with the longing to help people but doing it in the most unfashionable ways. Imagine that, every superhero: a criminal in the eyes of the law before people loved how much "good" they were doing. Threats before they could explain the goals they were working toward.

Chat tried to struggle against his captive "chains", unable to escape. The more he moved, the more he noticed the texture. It felt so smooth and warm that simply wanting to break free of these bonds was difficult. He tried wiggling, stretching, bitting: but nothing seemed to work on his restraints. As Chat's frustration grew, he began to notice _what_ was holding him down. It wasn't rope... It wasn't a very large ribbon... It didn't taste like taffy... Kind of stringy-

He spat out the locks of silky hair as his thoughts caught up with his senses. Out of all of the materials in the world, it just had to be cut hair. Adrien quickly gave up trying to escape and found another option he was soon finding rather enticing. And that plan, my friends, was called "closing his eyes and trying to take a nap". However, his mind quickly refused that idea. He couldn't stop thinking about the strange animal that ad chased him here, leaving him stuck in someone else's tower (which looked very abandoned). A complete stranger who had wrapped him up in... hair. A person who was nowhere to be seen and, quite possibly, planing appetizers before the main course. He had every right to be wary and vigilant. Anything could be lurking in the shadows to catch him and drag him away; Every moment he was out in the open was imperative and dangerous.

Chat Noir was not frightened, not in the very least. He was, however, worried. Of what, you may ask? Of the impending doom encased in the next few hours, quite possibly his last few hours, of his life. Footsteps began to echo from someplace around him, bouncing off the walls and filling his heart, dread welling up from the large sounding footsteps. While the notion of fairytale creatures was discouraged in the Kingdom, sightings and superstition preceded that of his current elders. A growl came from downstairs, cat-like. Adrien loved cats, especially the black ones, but if it was a cat, it must have been some big cat from another kingdom he did _not_ want to meet. Someone was definitely there.

However, as the footsteps grew closer, the echo grew faint. Now, there was only a small pitter-patter on the ground, coming in his direction. His anxiety turned into curiosity slowly as a small bell could be heard jingling among the sound. Then, from out of a dark corner, came the looks of an expensive cast iron frying pan. Chat let out a noise of confusion as he stared at the pan, trying to get a better view of the person behind the dark veil that covered them. The figure at least looked like a person, a smaller person, but a person nonetheless. Nothing out of the ordinary, but it wasn't moving any closer to him. Yet, He was so focused on the frying pan and the human being that he hadn't even noticed the weight pressing on his chest.

Slowly, Disguised Adrien turned his attention back to his own body, finally taking notice of a cat sitting there. Black beauty with a small knick on its right ear, looking very amused, stared back at him. This strange amusement didn't inspire much confidence and while Chat had met smart animals in the past, he didn't know why he felt like this one would be a thorn in his side.

Going back to the person, his curiosity peaked as long hair made its way into the light. Personally, Adrien didn't really find appeal in the girls his father showed him. They all were snobs and prissy girls. Not that he prefered men either. But more like he wanted to spend his time doing other things with his life than finding a wife that only wanted him because the rich should marry richer. And as Marinette stepped into view, he found himself looking at an equal instead of a jewel-encrusted stepping stool. She didn't wear anything extra. She was in a simple, plain dress. She had very, very long hair that he thought met the floor, not that he could see the floor from where he lay. Chat didn't know a single thing about her, but man did he want to pick out every detail.

And as Chat made the fatal mistake of looking up.

Immediately her eyes reached out and ensnared his very soul, digging and poking around his husk of a body. So much emotion in such a delicate package, raging like the sea during a storm. Even the finest bluebells couldn't compare to the vivid azures that streaked about her iris, flowing out from her pupil. The only thing that could have made her eyes any more immaculate would have been a bright smile to match. But there was no smile, and as Chat kept looking at her eyes, he found that the redhead was looking extremely hostile, and came to the conclusion that there was no time for dawdling. He needed to hurry, and the only thing in the way of that was the fascinating princess, that had him bound to her bed. Chat quickly thought of a quick plan A, peeling his eyes away from hers. Trying to find his words, he decided to start out with a simple and dorky, a tiny wave from his mostly-free fingers;

"Hello, eheh..."

* * *

 **A/N: So.**

 **I know this is very delayed.**

 **A year too long delay.**

 **But I have multiple excuses I will not begin to explain. Ex-"second mother", Wolf 359 (highly recommended podcast btw, my god I binged it and could not stop listening to it), and a few life-changing situations.**

 **Ever had to grow up so fast that you can't remember a time when you were free? I am 16. My mother's best friend/partner left us. I have gone from a follower to second in command. I have no more privacy, hardly any free time, but that comes with the responsibility I suppose. I miss being hidden sometimes. So take joy in what you have. cause you never know when you'll lose it all.**

 **Daily does of wisdom c=**

 **Now, I hope I can get back into my routine of a chapter a week of a story, it worked out really well and it felt good to release consecutive content. Don't worry about me quitting, I may take long breaks, but I will always finish what I started with fresh Ideas and new ways to make you all emotional. Sorry about there being a shortage of puns, you will get a plethora of them in the near future**

 **And last but not least, Thank you all. For the reviews, follows, heck even general viewers I receive. I live to make others happy with my content, and the fact that I can actually achieve that is so amazing.**

 **Thank you for giving me this chance.**

 **as always,**

 **Stay Tuned and Thanks for Reading**

 **~Pheonix**


	7. Chapter 7

Marinette was not expecting the guy stuck in her bed to be like... this. A small dorky hello from the kingdom's most notorious thief. She stared at him in confusion. He was supposed to be ruthless, to be scary, cruel. Why did he seem so... nervous and harmless. Mari inched closer Chat, poking him with the frying pan. Small, painful groans came from him and she quickly pulled away, startled.

Papillion always said thieves and liars felt no pain, "the thrill of the hunt wouldn't allow them to feel it until their lives as thieves were over. That's when the pain and the regret from their deeds wash over them." He said that they were all liars and sneaks, taming their selfish hearts through stick fingers. Fairytales were stupid stories. No man would scale a tower to save the maiden from her hideaway.

She watched his eyes graze over her figure once more, shuddering. This was another thing Papillion had warned her about; men's lust for women and people's hunger for weak prey. Marinette had never seen herself as strong or pretty, mostly just a clumsy oaf, but that didn't mean she wasn't afraid of what people could do to her. Mari held the pan close to her, thinking of what to say. But the more she stalled, the more Marinette saw.

She saw his hesitation. She watched his fingers curl in her hair. She caught a glance at a small quiver in his lip. Marinette may have only known her own fear and what it looked like, but He looked just as scared as she was. She didn't need to be around people to recognize that.

Her voice wavered as she spoke. "What do you want with me?" Chat's eyebrows creased inward.

"What do you mean? I'm not the one holding a frying pan menacingly." Marinette squinted her eyes and tried to sound a bit more stern.

"What do you plan on doing with me? Kidnap me? Sell me? Chop me up into bits and feed me to wild animals just to have a laugh-" Marinette began to ramble on, her tough voice draining slowly as she kept going. But she was cut off by the wide-eyed masked man. His voice cracking and fluctuating, shaking his head wildly.

"No! Why on Earth would anyone do things like that!? I didn't know anyone lived here! And I could say the same for you, you've tied me up to your bed creating a hairy situation- pun very much intended-, waving an expensive frying pan in my face." Slowly, Mari lowered the pan, studying him. While he may not have known she was here, he was still up to something, Chat Noir or not.

"you're a thief, aren't you?" Sweat beaded around Chat's forehead as he answered.

"No?" Marinette paused at the question in his voice. Chat was obviously lying, but Mari had to catch him in the lie before she could be absolutely sure. After all, he could just have been caught off guard or using sarcasm, something she was not very experienced with.

"Well, if you're not going to do anything to me, then what were you going to do with that headpiece?" She saw him flounder like a fish out of the water as he tried to hunt for words.

"I was doing business with... someone, on the country border." Marinette's eyebrow raised as she looked at him.

"What do you do for a living?" Chat looked a bit nervous as he continued.

"I am a mail carrier. I deliver packages to folks; Items, clothing, I even deliver liver. It's quite a job, and I really need to get back to it."

"In that outfit?" Marinette set down Plagg as Chat readied his lies.

"It's rather cold, don't you think?"

"It would be if we weren't in the middle of summer."

"It's my uniform, can't be seen in my regular clothes."

"I didn't know that jobs required their workers to wear charcoal as a type of mask in their uniform." Her arms were crossed as she waited for an answer. The teenager paused, looked at her, opened his mouth, and the proceeded to close it. Mari had broken him and she was ecstatic. "I knew it! I knew you were Chat Noir!" He sighed, laying back into her bed, mumbling something along the lines of 'dear god...'. It left Marinette a bit confused in her joy. Wasn't an infamous villain proud of his title?

"Look, I'd love to stay and 'Chat' but I really have to hightail it out of here if I am going to make the drop off on time to get that money reward- Put the frying pan down!" Once again the cooking utensil was being used as a weapon, pressing against his throat as Chat pleaded.

"You are not going anywhere." Mari pressed the weight down onto his throat, not enough to suffocate him, just to send a message. He didn't know what Marinette could do and certainly didn't know she was a pacifist at heart. She could play games as well as he could. After all, playing games all day was what she had done her entire life, keeping herself busy while Papillon was away. "You are going to stay here until Pa-" She stopped mid-sentence. Papillon was gone. He would be gone for a few days at max, and until then, she was stuck in the same building as this vile fiend. Swiftly, she regained composure. "Until someone comes to collect you."

With that, she pulled the pan away. Marinette took this time to look at him. His facial features, as she had seen previously, were very childlike in essence, but as her eyes went from his chin, past his lips and nose, and up to his eyes, she was very much transfixed. Mari had never seen a shade of green so vivid. Shaking her head to rid herself of these thoughts, she went to the window. Mari then proceeded to tie the end of her hair to the window handle that led outside, also attaching a small metal lock, knowing very well where the key was. "Now you're stuck here."

His eyes looked hopeful for a moment. "Then can I get out of this hair?"

"No."

He groaned and growled, sounding like Plagg whenever he was hungry. "Why not?!" Marinette smiled a bit.

"Because I am not stupid."

* * *

 **A/N: I am early! I'm sorry these are such short chapters, but it keeps me from getting too lost and it also gives me pacing for getting these chapters out quicker than I usually would. So here it is, four days later, another chapter for you all. Thank you for waiting so long, I know I took forever and I always babble on about excuses and life, but I'm so glad to have readers like you that have stuck around despite my nonsense. I adore you all. (OMG steven universe has left me shook)**

 **So, they finally talk. I am excited about continuing this but be warned, this is not like an Average Repunzle story. It's a bit like Tangled in some aspects. However, from this point forward, there will be far and few reminders of Tangled. Thieves, twists, and ice; it's going to be one hell of a ride. (and again, I will get better on the pun side of things)**

 **I couldn't find a good song to embody this chapter :P**

 **Thank You for Reading and Stay Tuned!**

 **~ Pheonix**


	8. Chapter 8

"Pawn to B5"

The sound of a chess piece resonated through the tower. Another click echoed.

"Queen to F3, Checkmate" Another piece moved and a hum escaped Chat lips. "I win again, purrincess." He chuckled a bit, letting the pun roll off his tongue. If it wasn't for the fact she was going to turn him in, Mari would have skinned this pun-loving kid.

It had been three days since he'd woken up. The first day Marinette had been nothing but questions, trying to annoy him with her curiosity. However, He was surprisingly patient, answering every question she had eloquently. Even the ones she had about social standings. The next day she painted him, having Chat stay still for hours. For the first few, it was calm and peaceful. But the more she looked at him, the more things seemed... wrong. Granted, she may not have had a lot of experience with other humans, but she was sure of this.

* * *

 _The smell of oil and chemicals danced around Marinette's nose as her brush smoothly glided across the canvas. Expertly, her wrist flicked from one side to the next, giving depth to the bed and shadow to her own red hair. She had started with his frame, and as that was now done, began to work on the background and fine details. Moving from brush to brush to get the next few pieces just right._

 _Now, Marinette being Marinette, she would have much preferred to make clothing, but seeing Chat there, it was hard not to want to paint him. His bright blonde messy hair, his lime green eyes, his shades of black that emphasized his pale, almost porcelain skin; She could probably do his wardrobe justice. But he was her prisoner, not a doll, and as time went on, her fingers itched to feel fabric. Mari kept to her portrait, steeling herself to the task at hand. Perhaps later she could make something._

 _As time went on, she began to paint Chat. His features, his hair detail, his fingers that stuck out of her hair; everything Marinette could find. The curves of his jaw were flawless, his skin unblemished, and it was hard to tell if he had any imperfections at all. When she was mildly happy with the rest of it, she moved onto his face. His face. His...- His eyebrows were perfect, and well taken care of. His nose was button-like, slightly tilted up. His eyes, they seemed... They reminded her of..._

 _The more she looked at him, she noticed something that put her off. She thought he would have been tired and annoyed, having to stay still for hours and hours. Yet as Marinette gazed at him, his lips tight, eyes looking toward the opened window, she found a lifelessness that perplexed her. So much sadness and regret in those green eyes, so much unhappiness. All she could do was stare, watching his eyes glaze over and swirl further into the foggy haze of the mind. It took her a while to look away, but when Marinette did, she couldn't find it in herself to paint anymore._

 _"Hungry?" She asked him, putting away her paints and brushes. His eyes cleared up, consciousness coming back to him in milliseconds. He looked at her, then to the painting, and back at her._

 _"You're not going to finish my luxurious meow-volous face?" Marinette could hear his smirk as she picked up the easel and moved it into the corner of the room, making sure to mark the ground where it had stood._

 _"I'll give you a break, you look like you need one." He looked touched, honest to god, might-just-cry touched. Marinette, again, was confused as she went down to the kitchen to make some sandwiches. Plagg lay on the countertops, munching on a piece of cheese. Absentmindedly, Mari pet him as she worked, still thinking about the boy she was going to turn in by the end of the week_.

* * *

Since then, Marinette had done nothing but keep him entertained. He taught her card games with a deck she found in Papillion's things, she taught him how to tell the difference between types of fungi, and lastly, they had played several games of silent chess. They would forget their situations and boundaries for moments at a time. The only thing reminding them were times when Chat moved a bit in her hair, causing them both to recollect who the other was. But in the times they forgot, She was the Clever Girl in the Tower, and he was the Punful Boy in Black Clothes. They didn't talk much, but when they did, Chat was a rather interesting and nice person to talk to.

"I blame you, If I didn't have to sleep on a duvet I wouldn't be so stiff and distracted." Marinette got up and stretched, Plagg hopping out of her lap and resting beside Chat. Chat Noir grinned and looked up at her.

"You could always knock me unconscious and move me downstairs." She pondered this for a moment as she opened the window, pocketing the lock, but shook her head.

"And ruin the painting by moving you? Not a chance." Giving her mind time to cool off, Marinette set up her easel and gathered her paint supplies. She heard a small sigh come from his lips and watched as his head tilted back toward the window, in the same exact position as the day before. Her heart seized only a tiny bit as she saw the light in his eyes begin to fade away. Marinette picked up a brush, dipping it into the green paint, and brought her hand up to the canvas. Her hand stayed there for a moment, not moving at all.

"You know," Marinette began, setting down the brush and picking up a different one, texturing the clothes a bit more instead, "You never told me your name."

"Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of an Alias, Princess?" She chuckled, glancing ever so often up at his face as she kept his attention.

"I suppose it would." The conversation fell silent for a moment, but Chat decided to pick it up again.

"I have yet to catch your name, though."

"That's because I never threw it, Kitty Chat." He groaned, laughing a bit.

"Hitting me with my own a-mew-sing puns? You may be just as bad as I am."

A few seconds passed without an answer. He did need to know her name, after all. Princess would start getting annoying. "Marinette." Chat smiled warmly at her.

"It's a nice name, who picked it? Your mother or your father?" Her hand stopped and she bit her lip. He was just going to be turned in anyway, so what was the harm in telling him?

"I don't know. The only person I've known for as long as I can remember is Papillion, and that's what he told me my name was." She could feel his stare against her face, but she didn't mind. She didn't know to mind in that situation. She thought it was fine not to know your parents. After all, her's had given her up. Why would she want to know the people who left for a different life? It wasn't practical, especially when she had Papillion, who cared about her. But that didn't stop her from wondering.

Mari had had dreams in the past, about meeting her parents. A tall plump man who smelled of flour and a smaller woman with black hair, who wore a kind smile. They would always be sitting down in a large open field, flowers all around them, a blanket lain in the grass, bread and cheese set out to snack on. As time went on in the dreams, she began to notice the walls around them, rising higher. She saw the waterfall begin to trickle. They were always too far away to save her as the bricks began to form and hoist her into the air. In minutes, she was inside the tower. She'd look out the window, and her parents were gone. She'd wake up, tears trickling down her cheeks. No one was there to comfort her, but even if there were, she didn't know any better. Being alone was natural.

"Marinette?"

She popped back into reality as her name was sounded, "yes? Sorry." She saw him smile patiently.

"I said, Who's Papillion?" Mari put her finger to her chin and thought about it for a moment.

"Kind of like a caretaker mixed with a father figure."

"What's he like?" And with that, she told him, paintbrush accenting her words.

"Papillion is fancy and neat. He is also very patient with me, after all, I am a clumsy person at times."

His eyes brightened a bit, and his finger pointed at her dress. "I can see that." Marinette looked at what he meant and cursed. She had gotten paints, very expensive and staining paints, on her new clothes. Mari sighed. "Speaking of clothes, how is it that you're in different clothes despite being in this very hairy situation, and looking rather clean, might I add." She saw the curiosity fill his eyes. Picking up the green brush again, she told him a story.

"When I had been younger, about 6 or 7, I had been playing around and my hair caught in the rafters. Being a child, I didn't exactly know how to untangle my hair without it hurting, so I made do. Instead of roaming around nude, I decided to cut open my dress and slip into a shirt of Papillion's, one of the ones he has here just in case he has to stay the night. I tied it so it would be as loose on me. But there was a problem as my legs began to feel cold. So I looked around more and found a pair of pants. His pants were much too long, so I took it upon myself to fashion a pair of shorts and tied them to my waist with one of my hair ribbons. When Papillon returned a day later, he was very surprised to find me in his clothes. I thought he would have been mad and angry, but he wasn't. He just laughed and pat my head as he untangled my hair. If anything, he had been proud of my bold and adaptive thinking..."

His laughs rang out through the tower as she continued both telling her story and painting. They talked and swapped small stories for the rest of the time she painted. His smile and light returning and lighting up his entire face. Now this, this she could paint happily. But as she painted and chatted, warning signs went off in her head. He had stolen from people. He was a criminal. He was Chat Noir.

He was a...

He was...

He...

He was nothing like Papillion said he was.

* * *

 **A/N: So, I made this a bit longer than the others, I hope it's okay. I know it seems weird but bear with me. It's going to get better. I promise. And again, for those wondering, Yes the Red hair is one purpose.** **I'm going to be moving here pretty soon, my mother, sister and I, but it's a month away. I hope to have at least two chapters done by then and two more to release as we move so you guys still have new content coming your way.**

 **Thank you, for all the comments and everyone reading this. I know I say it a lot, but seriously. I write to make you all happy and to brighten up your days. Even if I can do that for just one of you, It makes my time writing so much more than just me stringing together the English language into a story.**

 **A Small tidbit about me: I don't really watch TV anymore. Youtube, Netflix, and Hulu are practically my sources of relative TV entertainment anymore.**

 **Just finished Detroit: Become Human. Holy cow, what a mind game. It's like Undertale had a child with I, Robot. Also, Wolf 359, one of the greatest podcasts I have listened to in a long while. I love it to pieces.**

 **And on a further note, Anyone else excited for the Confirmed Kwami swap?**

 **Thank You for Reading and Stay Tuned for More!**

 **~Pheonix**


	9. Chapter 9

**Because I can...**

* * *

Chat had a few questions himself that night as he wriggled his way free from her endless strands of hair. Each limb freed raised a new question. How did she learn everything she knows? He knew she was well read from observation, but enough to have memorized them? His arm tasted fresh air, wiggling his fingers and stretching. Who was this Papillion? Why did he leave Marinette here for days at a time? His torso was released, moving onto his legs. Did she leave the tower? Finally, he had gotten his legs free. He would have made a mad dash for the window, but one thing kept him from climbing down the stone bricks. A jewel she had not brought up since he had come here. As quietly as he could, Chat covered her hair with a blanket, slinking around the room, and began searching for his satchel.

Nothing was hidden anywhere. There were no secret compartments, Fabrics took up space under the bed, blankets and clothes filled up her wardrobe; if there was anything to find, it was out in the open. She had a few pictures on stands around the room. Most of them were of landscapes, places he had been to. There was a picture of the ocean, on the shore beside the kingdom. He had mentioned its name once or twice, but Marinette had never expressed any emotion other than longing. Every scene looked familiar, on the tip of his tongue, but just out of reach.

Even the books on the bookshelf were vaguely familiar to Adrien. He remembered the sewing book that he had flipped through, the cookbook he burned his finger in trying to learn, and even the fairytales he had fawned over as a kid. The Tales of Bon Chance and Malchance, a guardian of knowledge, even Turtles and Foxes. Books he didn't remember existed and books he hadn't seen in years; here in this mahogany bookcase. That was another thing, the furniture here and the supplies were so big, lavish, and expensive. How did it get up here? Who paid for it all? The books were all leather back, her bed sheets were silk, imported, and even her vanity had actual jewels embedded into the wood and painted very meticulously, the work of a Ceasar.

They all looked like fancy bribes. From Papillion, perhaps? Marinette didn't go into much detail about Papillion, but it unsettled him. This man sounded as if he was being patient on purpose. From her stories, Chat could conclude that she didn't get out much. There was always this desire for more behind her eyes, even when she was talking about being grateful for what she had. She didn't mention a lot about her life, or her past, no matter what Chat did to coax her. It seemed as if she was hiding from something, and for once it wasn't his reputation. He remembered the first night so vividly...

* * *

 _Marinette looked cautious as she bit her lip in thought, grabbing some blankets and a change of clothes, eyebrows creasing inward. Plagg followed her in amusement, meowing every so often and scaring her. Chat's eyes followed her as she paced, studying her. This odd redhead was frantic and Adrien knew why. Obviously, it was because he was "Chat Noir" and he was rumored to kill people in other kingdoms, steal entire houses, and gorge on food._

 _Now, Adrien could admit he was clever, but an entire house? Seriously? The murder and gluttony were common rumors among thieves, but his rumors had gotten out of control as of late. It was even rumored that he was hiding the Princess and she was his mistress. First off, that would have made Chat Noir twice his age, and second, Chat Noir had only been active as of four years ago, so that one died the day it hit the streets._

 _"What are you doing?" Marinette stopped and looked at him, confused._

 _"Getting blankets so I won't be cold." Chat made an "o" with his mouth. When it came to his attention, it was getting rather cold. The only thing that kept him relatively warm was Mari's hair, but hair wasn't very warm. Silently, he looked around, trying to see if there was anything his fingers could reach. There wasn't much around him, let alone anything for warmth._ Great, _Chat thought,_ I'm going to freeze to death before I even have time to escape. _But that was when the first act of kindness struck. He didn't notice, but Marinette had been watching him._

 _Chat looked up as she stood over him, laying a large blanket over his figure. It was a beautifully stitched quilt with borders over each square. He couldn't see the pictures, but he didn't doubt that the squares were as expertly crafted as the lining was stitched. It was warm, filled with wool on the inside that had probably been bathed in mint leaves. She didn't say anything, but there was a tiny smile at the ends of her lips._

 _"Aren't you scared?" She looked down at him, chuckling._

 _"Of a guy who wears cat ears? No. But that doesn't mean I trust you." He could tell she wasn't quite convinced herself, but it was nice to know she was trying not to be afraid of him. Though, it was sad to know she was._

* * *

Shaking his head, Chat got back into the zone, checking the bookshelf for any sign of a hidden pocket or a trap door. Nothing, not even a hole for a mouse to hide in. Finally, he decided to check downstairs. Chat took small steps, making sure not to trip as he made his descent into the unknown. There wasn't much down there either. Foodstuffs, not lavish items, not a knife in sight, and a small alcove which he assumed was for bathing. It was like she was trying to live a minimalist lifestyle. There was nothing wrong with it, but it was hard to imagine life without knives and whisks. This girl was just living, there was no guarantee that she had ever seen the world or its inhabitants. Marinette, when she did talk to him, was clear in her views that there were bad things in the world that would go after her. Chat hadn't done much to deny it, but he had asked her about the things she had seen and Mari could never reply with an answer. She would clam up and think hard for a while until something distracted her.

The only other thing in the room that wasn't Marinette was Plagg, who was resting in her arms. Her blankets had rolled onto the floor in her sleep, her shivering form obvious against the pink couch-like furniture. Pale lips trembling as the cold air brushed against them. Chat paused his search. On instinct, he picked up the blanket and gently laid it over the both of them. The thoughts he had upstairs and looking around screaming at him, but one single thought stood out among the rest. Her ocean eyes had looked toward the window often during the hours she spent with him. There was always a hidden sigh when the topic of the outside was brought up. It was a question that he hadn't expected to cause so much distress in his mind.

Had she ever left the Tower?

Giving up on his search for the crown, he decided it was best to leave it. At least no one else would ever be able to retrieve it, and his contact was probably long gone by now. He hadn't found his bag either, so Chat's first stop would have been in the middle of the woods. Swiftly, he made it to the window. It wasn't his problem. Marinette wasn't a priority. She obviously had someone taking care of her. Chat would never be able to take care of her, protect her, and keep on being the thief of the kingdom at the same time. His foot rested on the window ledge. She would be happy that he was gone. Disappointments didn't deserve to be around rays of light. His hands joined his feet, ready to climb down.

But Marinette had never looked at him that way. He was not to be trusted, but she didn't treat him badly. His hands let go. She had been kind to him, despite the fact that he had randomly caused her extreme inconvenience. He left the window, going back to the bed. She had been nothing but inquiries. carefully, he slipped back into the hair and under the blanket. She didn't deserve to be kept here.

That night, Chat Noir took the backseat and Adrien was too busy planning to sleep.

* * *

 **A/N: Here is another chapter, as promised. I believe this will make 4 in a row so I am on a roll. I thought this would be an interesting turn of events. I won't spoil anything, but here come the different parts of the story. This won't be the last Chat point of view chapter, but the chapters will start dwindling in numbers. Just as a general warning for everyone getting used to this.**

 **I WENT BACK AND UPDATED PREVIOUS CHAPTERS!**

 **Okay, I have a ton of reasoning behind going back, but the main one was because... holy cow they sucked. Having learned somethings since I left off this story for a bit and came back, I was cringing and wondering how in the world you all were able to read and love my slop. I have since fixed errors, added bits, made things a bit more clear, and also changed a few minor things involving character views and timelines. You can go back if you want to, but nothing major has really been changed.**

 **Next, thanks to every viewer and shout-outs to GuardianAngel1234567: Just because he is nice to Marinette, doesn't mean I am leaving it that way. There is a reason to everything Papillion/Gabriel Agreste does.**

 **Thank You for Reading and Stay Tuned!**

 **~Pheonix**


	10. Chapter 10

**I promise this is the last Chat-pter for a while...**

 **(That was not my best pun)**

 **but because I am the author...**

* * *

It didn't take Chat long to learn that Marinette was difficult to persuade. He knew it was going to be a challenge, but he had sorely underestimated her. Marinette was not easy in the slightest. The very next morning, he had already tried numerous way to draw her longing out. Granted it had been slow goings, but there were still a few attempts made to get Mari into the idea of going outside.

The first try was a bit too subtle for his taste and ended up going nowhere.

* * *

 _"Your joking."_

 _"I can assure you, I am not joking."_

 _"You've never seen the ocean?"_

 _"No, Chat Noir, I have not."_ _Marinette didn't meet his gaze as she sewed a pair of red pants, following a pattern in one of her books. He watched as she threaded the needle and went to work. He could tell she wasn't exactly going off of the pattern, making the article her own by adding touches of flare that had probably entered her mind. While her art was nice, the clothing was beautiful and it was obvious that she made most of the dresses she wore on her own. Though, the pants she was making looked... almost feminine. He wondered what kind of male would wear those kinds of pants._

 _"Who are the pants for?"_

 _"Me." I took a moment to process this, and it must have come off as funny because she started getting curious. "What?" I tried to avert my eyes before thinking of an answer. While I admired her gut, I also knew she had little to no knowledge of the world outside her safe haven. I debated whether to tell her but quickly decided against it. There was no reason to dampen her spirits, and a good change was needed in the kingdom. If she was rich, his father would have loved her as a possible candidate for marriage._

 _"Nothing, nothing at all." Silence settled. A few uncomfortable moments passed, and Chat tried again._

 _"You know, those are a lovely colour. Not pant-omime at all." A scoff rang out, and the conversation fell flat. Chat cursed in his head, his pun tongue having lost him a chance._

* * *

The other semi-successful time had been over a game of chess. This was around midday, and he had been looking for an opening for a good hour. Finally, he found one in the form of pastries.

* * *

 _The game wasn't going so well for Chat Noir and he had started a friendly conversation about food. He was surprised at her culinary knowledge when it came to certain pastries and soups, but aside from that, it seemed she had never really had anything that wasn't ordinary or basic to make. Coming from a rich family, Adrien knew not everyone had tried the delicacies and foods he had growing up, however, some of these "foreign" foods were mere cents on the streets._

 _"so, you've never had a crepe?" Marinette let out a heavy sigh._

 _"No, I have not." This time, Chat had an idea and decided on bribery through the stomach. It was full proof. No one he knew could resist the pastries of the kingdom. Mari moved her knight and snatched one of his many pawns._

 _"It's so delicious, the bread dough, the fruit, the yummy chocolate..." He dragged the last word in hopes of some type of drooling. However, it was he who was drooling just thinking about it. Shaking his head to clear it, he was about to tell Marinette which piece to move, when he noticed her face. Marinette had been staring at him._

 _"What's Chocolate?"_

 _Chat's mouth dropped open._

* * *

This time, however, he was sure he would get her interested. Adrien hadn't seen much of her room when he had slipped out of it the night previous, but he had seen a few things he could take into consideration. There were her books, her pictures, her kitchen, but Chat figured he couldn't use them since he couldn't see it from the bed where he was "bound". There had to be something he could see that would give off some inkling to leave. His eyes searched the walls and the ceiling for a clue, but all he could see were just globs of blues and reds, white dots sprayed over them.

The more Adrien stared, the more familiar those dots looked. He could make out shapes and patterns that were known to almost every person on earth. The bright lights of the heavens that loomed above the world as we sleep. They were stars, he was sure of it, and this kind of chart would have made an astronomer stare in awe. It was odd what little she knew but how much she understood everything around her.

"Why stars?" Marinette stared at him confused, looking up from the book she was reading. Chat motioned with his head up at the ceiling. A look of understanding flashed over her face before confusion took over. "Why did you paint the stars?" He clarified. Adrien noticed her eyes look out the window, her mouth frowning a bit.

"It's a difficult story, Chat. I don't think you'll want to listen to this one."

"I'd love to hear it. After all, your stories are ear-resistible, Princess."

Marinette looked back at him with a chuckle, bringing her hand up to hide her mouth. "Do you only ever speak in puns?"

Adrien grinned. "I could speak in Chinese, but I don't think you'd understand me." Again, a rining giggle left her throat, bouncing off the walls before dissipating. The air fell flat, leaving the redhead to begin reading her pages once again. Desperate, Adrien tried once more, "You don't have to go into detail, but the curiosity may just kill this cat before you can send him off to jail." She didn't look up, and for a while, she didn't answer him. Frowning, Adrien began to think of new starters.

"Every year, on my birthday, there are these lights. Every year, at the same time, on the same day. I began to look at the night sky more and more, trying to make sense of them. I have been wanting to travel out and find them myself," her head didn't move, but blue eyes looked at the ceiling with sadness. "But Papillion has made it clear I am not to leave this tower. He says that people are horrid and despicable. He says they are people like..." Marinette's voice trailed off as her pupils lowered to the ground, guilt retracing her sombre gaze.

"People like me?" Chat wasn't very surprised, half expecting it from the numerous occasions where others had cursed his name. It didn't phase Chat. Adrien, however, felt a sting in his chest. He didn't know why, but there was something different in her words versus the words of the rich. A small sigh escaped him. She didn't know any better. "Marinette, I can assure you that I would never do anything to you. I have nothing to gain from it, and it isn't what I do." Chat saw her demeanour change, going from nice to defensive.

"Then what were you trying to gain from that crown?"

"I was-" He cut himself off. He wanted to tell her. He truly did, but the fact was, Chat couldn't tell her what he was actually going to do. No one could ever know what he was doing or really getting his money for. They would be found out, and he could get them in trouble for just associating with him. Adrien didn't want to get them into worse trouble, and Chat Noir was happy to help them. He must have taken to long with his pause because Marinette continued.

"I don't want to play mind games Chat," Mari glared at him. "I am not dumb and I am perfectly happy-"

"You are nowhere near happy." Chat watched her look over at him, staring at him with confused eyes. While he saw slight fear creep into her irises, there was also passion and recognition of wanting to go anywhere other than her tower. "I see how you look out that window, wanting more. Your eyes scanning the horizon, yearning for a taste of fresh air." Slowly, he sat up, letting the hair fall into his lap. Her eyes widened and made for the frying pan. Chat kept talking but stopped moving as soon as he was sitting up.

"Don't you dare move another inch!" She cried, trying to find her safety object. He complied, studying her as she scrambled about. Chat knew it was best not to move more until he had lured her curiosity. He noticed her start to lose focus when she glanced back, seeing him just sitting there, hands folded neatly, back straightened. What they didn't see was Plagg sitting up, and darting under the duvet downstairs. His attention was focused on Mari as she found her pan of choice. She went to reach for it, and Chat made his move.

"I know what the lights are. The ones about a week away?"

Before her fingers could taste the metal, they coiled away. Blue orbs looking back at him. "I can show them to you Marinette. I can take you to the village. I can show you good and honest people. I can tell you about town history, show you around, let you see the ocean. You shouldn't have to stay here. I can give you that out." Chat stood in front of her now but it was Adrien who spoke, voice soft, hand extended out to her. "If you let me, that is."

She looked up into his eyes, searching for something, anything, that could tell if he was lying. Minutes passed in silence as the two stared at each other. Visibly, he watched as her mind settled. Marinette raised her hand. But faster than she could take his hand, they paled, a booming voice from below making them pull away from one another quickly.

"Ladybug, Ladybug, May I come in?"

* * *

 **A/N: Dun Dun Duuuuunnnn! What will happen to our Marinette as she deals with Papillon and the knowledge that Chat Noir is in her house, listening? Sorry to leave on a cliffhanger (not very sorry) but it had to be done. Also, I am sure you have noticed how much I switch from Adrien to Chat Noir. While they are not different people, Chat is the persona Adrien created. It is still a part of Adrien. However, Chat is more of a front and has, not a separate personality, but his own traits. Adrien is under the mask, though, and his personality will always shine through. It is simply a matter of when it shines through. I like to make the distinction of what is Chat Noir and what is Adrien, even when the outfit is on, they are still one person.**

 **So, I am not finished moving yet. The people buying our house didn't go through with it till the last day and the guy handing in our paperwork to get keys to our new house were late and it screwed with our moving process. It was a hassle.**

 **My great grandma had two aneurysms and a blood clot. Scared the bejesus out of everyone in the family. It was great to see everyone drop everything and go down to see her. An entire waiting room was filled with my family and honestly, it was the first time all of us had been together under a roof. Even cousins I rarely see made the trip. One of my great uncles had gotten out of his job as a technician for a hospital (36-hour shift) in Napa. As soon as he heard the news, he took a quick nap and started to make the 8-hour trip. My great grandma is fine, Two days after, she was harassing the doctors and walking. Imagine an 83-year-old woman, trying to write to a nurse to take out her feeding tube, about a day after the incident. Two days later, she was walking again, claiming that " walkers are for old ladies" even though she has had a cane for twenty years.**

 **That is Doña Maria.**

 **Other than that, no complaints. Aside from junior state testing in California. It's gonna suck, but My body and taste buds have finally taken a liking to coffee. I think I'll live on that for two weeks, ween myself off, then go back for finals. What a nightmare.**

 **Thank You All so Much for Reading and Stay Tuned!**

 **~Pheonix**

 **P.S. I think I might start adding a question of the chapter, for any interested. You can leave your story comments and then answer the question if you'd like. It will most likely pertain to the chapter. Today's Question: Do you think Astronomy is a pseudoscience?**


	11. Chapter 11

A dozen things were flying through her mind. What was she doing? Did she really want to go with him? He had given her no reason to distrust him, but Chat Noir was a criminal. Papillion's voice had startled Marinette and changed her thought patterns. Papillion had cursed Chat's name over and over for ruining his business transactions. Papillion hated Chat. Chat Noir was wanted. Papillion wanted to put him away. A gasp came out of her mouth as quick connections were made. She had to get him out of here before silver eyes caught his black coat.

"Hide!" Marinette's words left her mouth, her head swivelling back to Chat Noir. Chat's face was as white as cotton sheets, granted her face was probably no better. He wasn't moving, frozen stiff where he stood. They didn't have much time, it would only be a minute or two before Papillion would suspect something and start questioning her. Quickly, she grabbed his arm and pulled him downstairs. A noise similar to a cat yowl came out of him, but Mari wasn't paying attention. Swiftly, she pushed him into a closet, closing the doors behind her.

"Ladybug?" Papillion's voice called from below once more, sounding a bit worried. Hurrying, she hid most of the evidence that anyone was in her room, unwrapping her hair from her bed and tossing it out the window. After a while of using Mari's hair as a rope, Papillion came in through the window, with a small smile on his face. Mari could tell it was fake and he was worried. He liked to be strong and seem strong, even if he was hurting.

But in light of recent events, Mari wondered. How much of Papillion was fake? She had always known and understood that he had a life aside from her. Yet as she talked with Chat, Mari noticed how little Papillion had said throughout her life. It was as if he had always told her as little as possible, but always enough to satisfy her. In doing that, Marinette found now that she didn't know anything she thought she knew.

"Good Afternoon, Papillion." Her smile was bright and her voice polite. He, however, did not respond in kind, nor did he make to fake it.

"Afternoon, little bug." He grunted and sighed as he came through, rubbing his face with his hands. He was sweating, eyes darting all over the room. He was paranoid, she could tell, looking for things that he thinks weren't there before. Mari knew if she didn't distract him soon, he would have found something worth investigating. He had no reason to suspect anything, but avoiding conflict was a good idea. Marinette was, after all, hiding a fugitive she had previously wanted to turn into the law. Going behind him, She guided him slowly to the bed, keeping his mind occupied. Mari noticed the absence of food in a basket that didn't exist on Papillion's person.

"How was your week?" She heard him groan, his face going into his hands. "That doesn't sound very g-" He cut her off before she could express more of her sympathies.

"Adrien is missing." Mari's eyes widened. Her head went blank. Only two words remained. Adrien. Missing. He was the only person she knew absolutely existed in the unknown world. A potential friend for her to meet and get along with. Gone in a matter of days. "No one had seen him in three days. Some claim he left on an order of business but-" Her nose scrunched up at that thought, mind returning at the sound of false information.

"Adrien hates business." Papillion sighed and grumbled a response that sounded a bit more exasperated and less worried. Blue eyes darted around the room, trying to find something to occupy her or Papillion. It didn't take more than a glance at her bookshelf to give her an Idea. The wheels in Mari's head began turning. Her thoughts about the floating lights and black cats dissipating for a small moment to make room for Adrien. "We could form a search party to look for him!" Mari exclaimed ecstatically.

"Ladybug that is not nes-" She cut him off, rambling, pacing back and forth across the room. Her teeth held her bottom lip and her hands were twangling in her hair and she waved them about.

"We could send one to the north, another to the East, a third to the south, and we can search west of here," Papillon tried against to get a word in edgewise, but Marinette was hardly listening to anything but her fleeting thoughts.

"Mari-"

"I could go and ask around town! People wouldn't know me so I can easily slip by and collect information about him and is people saw him without raising suspicion- I read about that in a book once- And I can-"

"Marinette!" Papillion snapped from where he stood. In his frustration, he had gotten up rather quickly, leaving a small clay pot on her side table to teeter, just before meeting the ground with a rining shatter. She went quiet, her eyes looking at the floor. A guilty look and heavy sigh came from Papillion. "I do not like yelling at you, and I know you are upset, but I am sure it'll be alright. And you know how I feel about you leaving the tower. It isn't safe, and you could get hurt easily." A twinge of doubt rose in her chest, reminding herself of the words she had heard from Chat. Marinette began to realize a very important thing. There was no way she was ever going to leave with permission. Tuning back into reality, she found that Papillion was still talking. "Besides, I already have my suspicions as to who is behind all this."

"Who do you think is responsible?" Her head tilted a bit, eyebrows crinkling.

"Chat Noir." A passing wave of confusion hit her. Chat Noir couldn't have done it, he had been with her the entire time said disappearance was. Not only that but he had been alone, probably completing another crime. Her face scrunched in thought as Papillion kept explaining his theory on ransom. Marinette was sure he was talking about other things, but she couldn't tell as her mind clouded and stormed.

While she may not have fully trusted Chat Noir, but it was obvious that he wouldn't kidnap a boy, let alone a teenager. He was a boy himself. Yet, Marinette also knew nothing about the world outside. She didn't know what the ocean sounded like, She didn't understand the taste of chocolate, and didn't know the fashion formalities of her time; Chat Noir, she knew, wasn't capable of it. Marinette didn't know what made her think this, perhaps it was the look in his eyes or the sad smile he had, but she knew it nonetheless.

"So, Ladybug," Marinette returned to Earth and turned her attention toward Papillion. She hoped this was the start of a new topic and not a question about what he had been talking about. "I was wondering, your birthday is almost a week away, and while I can't be here on that day, I'd still like to get you the present you wish for. Tell me, what is it you want this year?" At that moment, Marinette knew exactly what she wanted. And how long it would take to obtain it.

"I want a few lengths of silk fabric." Marinette watched Papillion stiffen.

"My dear, that is a long trip, almost a week, and to have it dyed with the proper colors-"

"I can color it. I want it for a new dress I am making. I thought it could use a bit of flare, but I am all out of the ones you gave me." For good measure, she sighed and turned her head, tilting it to the ground. "I suppose it's alright if you don't want to..." Marinette heard him inhale slowly and let it out even slower. She had won. Minutes later, Papillion was out the window and down the tower, off to buy a fabric that was kingdoms over.

A moment of relief washed over her as he disappeared from sight. She sat on the ledge, hair in her hands and in her lap. The sky was so blue. The grass, a poignant green. The wildflowers, so tiny from where she sat in thought. A breeze brushed her loose hairs across her face, carrying the scent of nature. The sun was setting on the other side of the waterfall, tiny droplets catching the firey light. She caught the ivy entrance sway in waves. They beckoned her, begging her to come and part them, to see what was on the other side.

Somewhere, out there, there was a world she had never seen. Somewhere, there was a boy with Blonde hair that needed to be found. Somewhere, there was a thing called chocolate, that was apparently edible. There was so much to discover. But there was also so many things she didn't know. So many things that plagued her mind and kept her afraid in her tower. She needed a person who knew the in's and out's of the town and every nook and cranny. She needed a person who knew his stuff and someone she could moderately trust.

With purpose, Marinette glided downstairs. With a flick of the wrist, she opened the doors that hid Chat Noir to find him sitting on the floor, legs crossed, petting Plagg who sat in his lap. She giggled a bit, wishing she had some way to capture this moment in time. Mari also could have sworn she saw his ears flatten as she opened the door.

Marinette stared at him for a bit, her mind made up, dauntlessness unwavering.

"How did you manage to escape my hair?" He looked at the floor, seemingly guilty. Quietly, she sat on the edge of her duvet, looking at him, waiting. He bit his lip in thought, but she assumed he thought better than to lie.

"A lot of late night wiggling. I've been free since yesterday night." A momentary silence fell. There were so many things she wanted to say. Marinette noticed Chat looking at her curiously. No doubt he had heard Papillion yell at her, but she doubted he had heard much else. The hidden question of 'are you okay?' hidden beneath his green irises. Questions also nagged at her own mind, but only one escaped her lips.

"Why did you stay here, if you could leave?" As she waited for his answer, Mari could sense the silent battle that rattled inside of him. His ears seemed to drooped at his expression turned sheepish.

"I didn't want to leave you here." Mari's eyebrow raised and Chat grumbled. "I may be a thief, but I'm not malicious." She didn't know when it happened, or if it had been brewing for a while, but a prospect fluttered through her mind. It was dangerous. It was reckless. She could possibly die or be captured and tortured. But it was a chance. It was her choice.

"I will leave with you and give you back the crown on two conditions." Mari saw him look at her in confusion for a moment when she mentioned the crown. Had he really forgotten about the reason he was here in the first place? She watched the wheels turn in his eyes and his grin slowly rise onto his face.

"You've got yourself a deal, Princess."

* * *

 **A/N: California testing is the most ridiculous thing I have ever done. I really wonder if the teat makers take their own tests, or even look them over for errors before sending them out.**

 **But here is the next chapter. Now things really are gonna kick off. No more dusty tower! I have a few ideas, and for anyone wondering, do not worry, MARINETTE'S HAIR HAS A FUNCTION. I did not forget that. I am simply... waiting.**

 **As for how I am doing, ruff. I just received a baby brother. I hat myself for this, but I have to say this with honesty. I do not like him. I've always wanted a brother. But when I got him, he stripped away the last pieces if my father I will ever have. I know it isn't his fault, and I understand that he is just a baby... but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt any less, I just mean that I hardly have an excuse to blame him for my father's doing.**

 **Back to a chipper note. I've been thinking a lot about what society is lacking nowadays and it boggles my mind that it was forgotten by the masses. Manners and common courtesy. Like elbows off the table, "pardon my reach", "excuse me", people holding the door behind them if someone is there, and even a simple bless you after a sneeze. If it were up to me, even though it isn't, chivalry and decency would not be going out of style.**

 **A special thanks to everyone who reviewed! I know I say this so many times, but I write for you all to enjoy, to make people laugh and be happy. I know this chapter wasn't that happy, but I still hope it left you with anticipation.**

 **Thank You so Much for Reading and Stay Tuned!**

 **~Pheonix**

 **P.S. Have a Nice Day c=**


	12. Chapter 12

"Come on, it's not that hard!" Chat shouted from the ground. Marinette could practically hear his giddy inpatients and the aloof grin widening on his face.

"Hold on!" Marinette responded shortly, a bit embarrassed by her inability to do this simple task of jumping out of her bedroom window. Then again, it's not everyday people jump out of tall towers. Her red hair was clasped in her fingers, ready to be held onto for dear life. It had been a solid hour after Chat had readily agreed to her terms and her hands were still shaking from excitement.

"It's just a hop, skip, and a," Chat paused, thinking about his next few words, "actually take your time." Marinette rolled her eyes, sighing a bit. She knew it would take a while to get used to her newly knighted "Partner in Crime". He wasn't exactly her first choice. She would have chosen any protagonist from the hundreds of books she had read. Sadly those protagonists didn't exist and she was stuck with the only alley cat for miles. Her toes curled as air swam between them, then stretched out, greeting the rays of sunlight that were peaking out from beyond the ravine walls. The weight of her bag lighter than a pillow on her back.

There had been so many times where Marinette had dreamed of leaving her safe haven. She was always obedient and scared of what was waiting beyond the glistening walls and the constant dull roar of the waterfall. But now she lay silent, planning her next move. The fresh breeze that flitted past her nose more inviting than a good book. The fear of leaving her home more horrifying than any monster she could conjure up in her mind. If she did this, there would be no going back without punishment. If she didn't, who knows what could become of Adrien? He was the one familiar thing she could picture, the only person she "knew" from the world outside. He could be alone somewhere in those dark woods, cold and hungry. He could be captured by bad people. There was no telling what fate would be chosen for the only Agreste Heir. She had to do this. It was the only way Marinette could know for sure that Adrien would be safe.

Mustering up her courage, the petite girl looked around her room one last time. Nostalgia crept into her mind and lingered for a few moments. The times she would read a book as dawn drew its final golden breath before falling into a deep blue slumber. The mornings Papillion would bring her breakfast in bed, simply because he wanted to. The days she would dress Plagg up in a creation of her own, just to see what it would look like on something other than her or her mannequin. Tears pooled on the sides of her eyes, her sense of adventure starting to dry up against memories that blinded her. The feeling of something against her leg jolted her back into reality.

Quickly, Marinette looked down to find her little black cat leaning against her leg. It looked as he was almost complaining that they hadn't moved and were still waiting around for nothing. Mari smiled slightly, blinking back the tears and picking up her treasured friend. Gently, she placed him on her shoulders, taking fist fulls of her hair once again. She looked down at the ground to see Chat sitting patiently, watching her intently. What was stopping her? What was keeping her here? What was she being so hesitant for?

"What are you waiting for, Princess? Afraid you won't land on your feet?" His chipper taunts and grin set her at ease. Slowly, she lowered herself down using her hair as a pully system, gliding down to the earthen soil below. As she felt herself get closer to the ground, Marinette found her answer. It was as easy as her feet touching the squishy moss beneath her. It was as simple as her plan to search for Adrien while heading to the kingdom to see strange lights. Her answer was so tiny she couldn't even see it, only the vine exit that swayed gracefully.

Her conclusion to her questions was nothing.

* * *

A King wrestled with his thoughts, bound by grief. The loss of the only remembrance of his daughter seeping into his pores, sleep long forgotten. His light brown hair illuminated by the candles that adorned the inner castle walls. Shadows flickered as he walked past each one, dancing around the sombre ruler. How could his personal been so careless with the only and final treasure he kept? The King knew not to blame his guards, almost all of them would defend him with their lives. He always left out the guards with families out of that equation, due to instinct being a top priority for a father. Doesn't matter the person, a Father will always protect the mother and child before all else. He knew that more than anyone. Yet the doubts and worries persisted through his journey.

Eventually, he made it to the highest balcony in the castle, overlooking his beautiful kingdom. He had originally expected to be alone with his thoughts, but there the queen stood. Her arms draped in cloth to accommodate for the breezy air that came at dusk. She leaned on the railing, eyes closed as she felt the cool air fan her face. The king smiled sadly and silently joined her, wrapping his strong arms around her slowly. She held onto his arms and leaned her against his chest. He was her rock and she was his calm river. He gave her a place to be herself and express her doubts, and she gave him the ability to see peacefully, even in the darkest of times.

Ever since the disappearance of their only daughter, it had become common for them to bask in each other's presence before starting and ending a day. Neither of them had to say anything for the other to understand. What had happened days ago was behind them. Now they had to continue, taking each day with caution, but also with kindness. They stood there for a long while, letting the last few hours of the day die out before either one spoke a word.

"We will find her again, Tom. I'm sure of it." She voice was soft but had the clarity of a prophet. The King could only smile in response, holding her closer to keep her from getting cold. They would make it through this okay. They had too. An entire Kingdom rested on their sanity. Luckily, neither partner was going to let the other fall into a dark state of mind.

"It's a bit nippy tonight," King Tom pointed out, the queen humming in response.

"That it is. Fall is going to be coming early this year. The harvest may suffer without the right precautions."

Tom nodded, "We will start making plans first thing tomorrow morning. No time like the present to deal with future matters." He looked at his wife and slowly began to guide her away from the railing. "We should get some sleep, Sabine. After all, we may never know what tomorrow brings, but we can make sure to prepare-"

"with a good night's rest." Queen Sabine chuckled and allowed her husband to lead them both to their bedroom. "You say it so much I can never forget it. Sometimes you even say it in my dreams." With that, the two rulers began to get ready for a long, silent slumber.

* * *

A Tavern's lights were lit up, voices murmuring and music playing in a slow, jazz-like manner. Rumours were swapped from man to man, woman to woman. Chat Noir had stolen the crown of the Princess Dupain-Cheng. He had betrayed the Kutzburg brats and was either dead or in hiding. Not many people could blame him for running off. The amount of money that he would get for the crown could pay off the debt of Miraculous and so many other places of business. To them, he was a careless idiot, but he was an idiot who had the skills to put food in everyone's mouths for a year. They just needed him to return, and they would feast like kings.

* * *

It was a quiet night in the Agreste Mansion, only the click of heels disturbed the silence. A woman floated across the halls, reaching her destination swiftly and opening a large door. A click was heard and the door was opened into a room lit by candle-light. A man with pale blonde hair sat overlooking papers. A silver mask laid neatly beside them. Quietly, he looked up and grimaced.

"Nathalie, it's time we talked about the security on my property and the course of action we are taking with the kidnapping of my spawn." Nathalie grabbed a quill from the desk and a sheet of paper, waiting for directions.

"Absolutely, Sir." Gabriel stood from his chair, explaining his plans in detail and that he didn't care about the cost. Loud pacing and swift pen scratches echoed in the large office space. Soon, the head servant was dismissed, leaving a man to his thoughts. A twisted smile crept up his cheeks.

"Chat Noir will be on every wall of the kingdom," He cackled to himself.

"Wanted: Dead or Alive."

* * *

 **A/N: This is the end of an arc. I am so glad to get this done, it's been so long since I have written and I feel so awful for making everyone wait. I'm thinking of making the next Chapter a Chat Noir POV, but I am not too sure. I know It's a bit lame for me to end the chapter like this, considering everything else I've done in terms of cliffhangers. But I wanted the next chapter to have a lot more things attached to it and I couldn't just fill this chapter with adventure. A good story has omniscient beings.**

 **I am also so very thankful for all the support this story is receiving. This is one of my most reviewed stories, but it is also my second to the last story on the list when it comes to word count.**

 **Now, Answers to questions: My father is a... troubled man. He is prejudice and prides himself on being unbiased in everything. However, he is also known for his sexist, racist and lewd comments from time to time. I'd like to think he is just tired from working graveyard shifts at a prison for 16 years but after many years of the same song and dance, I've learned not to lie to myself that much.**

 **I am a senior in high school starting in August. I am very excited to see what this year will throw at me. Last year it was a whole bunch of theatre productions that I worked backstage on, so I'm hoping it'll be like last year but better**

 **I have finished moving into my house (mostly) and my Brother, Logan (whom I will call Logos) is a healthy, happy child.**

 **The next chapter will be out shortly**

 **Stay Tuned and Thanks for Reading!**

 **~Pheonix**


	13. Chapter 13

**so soon?! Yep. Later that night...**

* * *

"How do you expect me to find him when I don't know his name?"

" _I_ will find him. _You_ will guide me to the places you know and I will investigate. Therefore, you won't need to know."

"Can I at least get a description of this person?"

"They are human."

"Very helpful, Princess."

It hadn't been more than five minutes out of the tower and already the two "partners" were butting heads. Marinette was beginning to regret her choice in not handing him over to Papillion when she had the chance and leaving on her own. If it wasn't for the fact that he knew more about the area than she did, Mari would have left to search on her own. Sadly, she didn't know what would await her out here and she knew her current survival depended on Chat Noir. The man in a black suit that tells dumb puns and has a heart that likes to pop in from time to time.

There was still something inside Marinette that didn't quite trust him. She trusted him with her safety, but how far could she trust him after that? It was hard to accept the fact that she had already tricked and disobeyed Papillion, and the fact that Chat stole a very expensive crown before they met did not give him many points in the right direction. But she also knew that any information Papillion had given her in the past also could be an assumption based on their last conversation. She didn't know what to believe for the moment. All she knew was that Chat had only lied about who he was, which, if she were a criminal, would have been the obvious first choice.

As they both walked around, Marinette took her time, letting herself wander through the thick wood and underbrush. She was aware of Chat's mild inpatients, but every new look of a tree leaf was so much more beautiful than anything she could have painted. The coarseness her fingers felt as they brushed against a tree, the softness of the ground beneath her feet. Plagg's fur tickling her neck as he purred with delight. It was getting dark, but she was too lost in the colours of the sky shining against the canopy of leaves to notice. Mari didn't see Chat's shifting eyes as he began to worry. She didn't notice him stop but jumped five feet in the air when he pulled her arm back.

"Chat! Why did you-" Marinette looked down at her feet to see a cliff. It wasn't very small, but it was enough for her to break a bone if she fell the wrong way. She took a few steps away from the edge and placed her hand on Chat's, thankful that he pulled her away in time. He tugged her, gently this time, away from the ledge down a different path, walking close behind her as dusk began to leak away. He didn't need to say a word. She could feel him tense up and his head on a constant swivel. Mari felt bad, he must be mad at her for losing track of her surroundings. It was common that Papillion would raise his voice and get upset when she would daydream. She heard a small sigh behind her as they came to a grassy but secluded clearing

"We should make camp for the night. It's not good to be wandering this deep into the forest at night." Marinette nodded. She felt his soft hold on her slip away from her arm and Mari took this time to look at him. It was shocking the differences that he had compared to Papillion. Whereas Papillion would have been cross with her and upset, Chat didn't look the least bit mad. He looked more concerned and worried about what may happen to them in the darkness of night. Mari sat down, still thinking about how different the two people were. She thought every single person would have been just like Papillion. But Chat was new. He was...

Kinder.

Marinette watched with interest as he made a small fire with only sticks, rocks, and a few dry leaves. She had been taught before how to start a fire with spark stones, but never through basic stick work. It was an amazing feat in her eyes. After he was done, she broke a piece of bread and shared it with him. Chat gave her a small side-eye with a curious glint. She knew what he was asking. Plagg nudged her hand, begging for attention.

"Papillion was never really great at remembering things. Sometimes I would have to go weeks without any food being brought to the tower. So I learned to ration properly and not to eat snacks. Survive, not gorge." Chat's eyes looked sympathetic.

"Has that always been the case?"

Marinette shook her head, "No, a few years back he began to visit me regularly. It seemed like he always has a few hours on Sunday to visit."

"Which is why he showed up today."

" Yes, but usually he doesn't show up until later in the day. I think he was worried about my well being." Chat tilted his head and waved his hand for her to continue. "You see, someone he has told me much about has gone missing recently. They don't know how or when, but more of a time frame. And they," she bit her lip and forced herself to continue. "They suspect you as the kidnapper." Marinette watched as he sat in thought.

"This is the person you want to find? Someone you've never met and owe nothing to but have only heard about in stories?" Mari kept getting surprised by this man. One would think that he would have thrown up arms at false accusations. But instead, he was more interested in her. It took her a moment to catch her bearings, but when she did, defensive Marinette took over.

"I have nothing to explain to you. The less we know, the easier it will be for us to part ways after this. No grudges, no attachments; just a hitchhiking traveller and her Guide." Chat nodded, clearly agreeing. leaning against a tree for comfort.

"Absolutely. I got you out, I show you around, and then you can leave back to your tower and I go back to my trade. It's a win-win." Marinette smiled, finding their agreement satisfying. While she would have loved to find a friend in her saviour, but she couldn't in Chat. He was a criminal. He had no intention of changing lifestyles. He was quick and agile, but smart a witty. She needed to keep herself at a distance. She couldn't grow to love the world she was about to see. She absolutely couldn't.

"Exactly. We will forget everything and move on," bunching up her hair to use as a pillow, she laid on the ground, "and act like nothing ever happened."

Plagg curled up next to her, basking in her warmth as she fought to keep it. Marinette tossed and turned, eventually tangling up in her hair to keep her body heat. _Was it so bad to cut ties before they even started?_ Mari tossed and turned, the ground was uncomfortable, but she managed to make it bearable. _What was the bad thing about letting Chat be her first friend in this place?_ For a good hour, she kept turning, wrestling with her thoughts. _What good would it do either of us if we know that eventually..._

Soon she fell asleep, Chat's watchful gaze and light sleeping keeping them safe through the night. A sad thought that sat idle in the air. Eventually, they would both have to part ways and neither of them could afford to get attached. Mari knew that if she did, she would never want to go back to the Tower again. Chat knew that if he dared to grow attached to her, it would be a sad ending for both of them. But instead of being vocal and sharing their fears, they both fell into a slumber. Hoping to forget their troubles and find a small piece of mind in the silence of their quiet, slightly imperfect sleep.

* * *

 **A/N: Hello My Morning Glories!**

 **This one was out not as fast as usual, but with the new school year closing in and going back into the familiar routine, It should be more manageable to keep a regular schedule. No promises though. I am so glad, however, that my bout of writer's block with this story has finally diminished and I can work properly again. I hate that it has taken this long, but the past is the past and I had my epiphany in the present.**

 **However, I can thank all of you who have stuck with me thus far in this crazy random journey in telling this story. I also want to thank any new viewers who found this story by chance or by accident. I love you all, and that is saying something. Ask any of my friends and they will tell you that getting me to say, "I love you." is like throwing hyenas in a Lion exhibit at a Zoo. It's blood and carnage when it comes to food and territory.**

 **I hope to see you early next week**

 **Stay Tuned and Thank You so Much for Reading!**

 **~Pheonix**


	14. Chapter 14

_"Adrien..."_

 _A woman hovered over him, a large hand gently wrapping around his waist and pulling him close to the woman. Her voice was soft and could melt your ears with only a thank you. To Adrien, it was familiar and so nostalgic. She was behind him, but he could see her golden blonde hair and her finger as it pointed outward. Her dress silky against his_

 _"Look, Adrien." Like a que, a black cat poked it's head out, green eyes scanning the terrain. It was sleek and beautiful, but scrawny and small. Its fur clumped up and half of its tail kinked to the right side. Street Cats were rare in the kingdom, mostly due to how short they can live without an owner. If you found one, it was best to be left alone, mostly because they needed to become violent to survive. So, to see one enter civilization was a sight to behold._

 _Arms took ahold of his sides, lifting Adrien up gently. He didn't look at the woman who held him close to her hip but more focused on the cat and where it was going. Swiftly, it ducked behind a market Fisherman. It hopped up onto a barrel of cod, its paw reaching out to snag a bite. It fought with the dead fish, making sure the fisherman was still looking the other direction, trying to pick the thing up from the barrel. The cat had almost grabbed it, mouth inches away from the tasty food piece. But the fisherman was turning back now. Adrien gripped ahold of the lady's dress top and hid his tiny face, scared of what was to happen. The woman cooed and nudged the top of his head with her chin._

 _As Adrien looked back, he noticed that the fisherman was smiling. He put his hands on his hips, finger-wagging as he scolded the tiny thing, before giving it a different fish. The cat purred and rubbed up against the man, asking for affection. The man was happy to supply. Gingerly, the black feline picked up the salmon and sat under the worktable of the man, basking in the sun._

 _They watched the cat all day, him and the lady. She spoke a few times, mostly to get Adrien's attention. It hopped from stand to stand in the market, everyone happy to see it. A passerby would stop and pet the delighted animal every so often. Everyone knew its name. He was like the town's own personal cat. It ate, made its rounds, and was content with life. As the market dwindled, however, it began to have less and less cover. It began looking for somewhere to go, somewhere to spend a night._

 _Adrien acted, hopping out of the lady's lap and going to the black cat. Adrien could tell was smaller, barely the height of a barrel, but didn't mind it in the least. He held his hand out to it, and sure enough, it pressed its head against his small hand. He giggled, scratching it under the chin and behind the ears. Slowly, Adrien picked him up. The cat didn't struggle, nor did he fuss. Adrien could hear his small voice, asking if he could keep it. The lady chuckled._

 _"We can take him home, but we cannot keep him, mon Minou." He could feel his lip jut out in a pout and her laughter grew. Adrien looked at her now, but her face was fuzzy. Almost like a picture that was taken by shaky hands. Her hair trailing down her side in a braid. "Adrien, he is not ours to keep. The city is his home. It is his family. We cannot take him away from that, now can we?" He sighed and agreed, still carrying the stray to a big mansion at the end of the road. His father wasn't home, but on a trip far north. They gave the cat a bed and some water, leaving Adrien's window propped open for the cat to come and go as he pleased. The lady smiled as she tucked him in, pressing a small kiss to Adrien's forehead. She was about to leave, but the child spoke up._

 _"Aren't you going to kiss Chat Noir goodnight too?"_

* * *

Chat jolted awake in a cold sweat. All he could see was long blonde hair and a sleeping girl in a silky green dress lying beside a tree. Quickly, he blinked his eyes, trying to get the image out of his head. Slowly, the hair began to turn into more of an orange-reddish, and the dress looked more like the style of this year and was a nice lavender shade. Minutes later, a sleeping Marinette replaced the ghostly figure in his head, her features defining reality. A sigh of relief racked his chest as he ran his fingers through his hair. Rays of a yellow-ish hue were just beginning to light the sky as he scanned the terrain. Nothing looked out of place, nothing that wasn't there yesterday.

He turned back to look at Marinette. She didn't seem very comfortable, in fact, she looked like a statue compared to how he had seen her on the duvve. Her hair hugged her frame at all sides, making seem like she was in the middle of a nest. Part of him wanted to nag at her for using her hair as a pillow on the ground, but Mari didn't know any better. Chat knew that. Adrien definitely knew that. A thought flickered in his mind like a lightbulb that wasn't quite out of juice yet. There was one thing he that nagged at him. Chat could have sworn that she was holding something.

The feeling of something fuzzy ran through his fingers and immediately he flinched away, almost hissing at the contact. Lo and behold, Plagg had nuzzled his way up and laid on Chat's lap, meowing for food probably. He pet it absentmindedly. It was odd how much this creature reminded him of the one in his dream. As calmed Plagg down, his mind drifted back into his dream. They say dreams are made up of the past, present memories, and even information you only heard once. But this wasn't the first time he had had a dream like that. It was almost like a reoccurring dream he could never remember, the only memory that stuck in his head was the cat. The Black Cat with Green eyes called Chat Noir. His very namesake as a thief came from his dreams.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Marinette slowly rose from her timid slumber. A small smile rose to his lips. He may not know everything about his dreams, but he had a job to distract himself with as a chauffeur. He chuckled as her eyes suddenly realised where she was and that she was not in her tower any longer. A brief period of fear and alarm glazed her features before she settled down and observed the area. When her eyes landed on Chat, he was delighted to see they were actually happy to see him.

"Good Morning, Princess." Plagg leapt gracefully off Chat's lap and began to pester the poor girl. She grinned and rolled her eyes, reaching for her bag as she responded in kind.

"Good Morning, Chat" He stared with a slightly perturbed look as Marinette. pulled out a piece of cheese he could smell from here. He was surprised he didn't smell it earlier given how strong it was. What puzzled him, was how she gave it to Plagg. Cats don't eat cheese. Not normal ones, anyhow. It almost grossed him out that it almost inhaled the piece that was the size of its paw. Marinette laughed at his expression when she caught notice of it. Quickly, his eyes snapped up from the cat and back to her face, trying to catch a glimpse of her smile. He didn't know why he wanted to see it so much, She had been his kidnapper for a week, after all. But there was something about the sound of her laugh and her large grin that made him want to tell dumb jokes and make stupid faces, just to keep her this way. She looked so much different than she did back in the tower, so much more full of life.

They packed up that morning and headed off into the woods, starting their journey of the day. The walk was calm and they had small conversations here and there, all of them arbitrary and to fill a silence that was so comfortable it scared them both. Chat hoped they would make it to town by the next day, giving him four days in town to show her around. Four days normally wouldn't be enough to show a lady all the sights of one city, but he was determined to try. He would show her the library, the town square, and even the mural. He could take her on top of the wall when no one was looking.

But then he remembered their agreement. He was to show her the lanterns and help her find some guy she has never met. The thought of him made Chat's skin crawl. He could be someone he knew. He could be a paedophile and her "caretaker"- he didn't buy that either, but she was nieve- could have been lying about him being nice. There were so many things wrong with her backstory, so many things he wished he could have helped with. He knew what it was like being alone. Living in a house where life had died the second his mother had was suffocating. But he had his servants to keep him some company. He couldn't imagine not having anyone at all.

"Hey, Chat?" He hummed in response, still lost in thought. "What is that place over there?" Her fingers pointed out into the clearing. My head swivelled nonchalantly in the direction of it. There had been a few things she was curious about on the journey, so he didn't think much of it. That is, until he noticed the familiar building by a river in a nearby clearing. The smell of cooked meat filled his nose, and his mind knew what was about to happen. He couldn't believe how blind he had been. Quickly, he picked up Marinette bridal style. She let out a sound of alarm, but held onto him nonetheless. In the blink of an eye, they were surrounded. Chat cursed under his breath, holding onto Marinette as tightly as he could.

"Welcome home, Alley Cat."

* * *

 **A/N: Yes, another cliffhanger. I promise I am only half doing it on purpose.**

 **This is a longer chapter, mostly since I flaked on the last update so I made this one much longer. I am so sorry about that, classes just started up and I am already drowning in Math. Calculus is kicking my butt, but I am determined to at the least make it out with a B+ or higher. Maybe that is just me being stubborn, but I'd like to think of it as sudden determination I should have had through high school.**

 **I have so many ideas for this story that it is insane, but I think I have found a way to do so much and still have a very well put story. Finally, we see a bit more of Chat. Plus, I think this will be a very good jumping point. Next chapter is going to be very intriguing.**

 **Last but not least, thanks to everyone reading this. I know I say/type this a ton, but I love to see people finding joy and emotion through my writing. It makes me feel like I am doing something good as a writer. Every time a new chapter goes up I can't help but check it a few times over and over. There isn't exactly a word to describe it. Maybe euphoria?**

 **Stay Tuned and Thank You so Much for Reading!**

 **~Pheonix**

 **P.S. What is your favorite Miraculous Character?**


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